


Home is Behind

by Charlie_chan16, Lynxrider



Series: Many Paths [1]
Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dragonese, Hiccup is a dragon master, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 36,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie_chan16/pseuds/Charlie_chan16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynxrider/pseuds/Lynxrider
Summary: In the aftermath of Stoic's death, a grieving Hiccup leaves the Archipelago behind to flee from the immeasurable shoes his father left to fill. Crash-landed in a land vastly different from their own, Hiccup and Toothless find themselves on a collision course with another young rider and dragon who desperately need their help. Perhaps in the bond between Eragon and Saphira, Hiccup can find the strength that abandoned him at the last glimmer of proud green eyes, and realize that his own bond is greater than any grief or challenge the world could muster.Eragon and Saphira don’t know what to make of this strange foreigner and his even stranger dragon. All they know is, they can use all the help they can get. If Eragon can’t take his eyes off of the hero that so fortuitously fell into his lap in his time of greatest need….well, that, my friend, is another story entirely.
Relationships: Eragon Shadeslayer & Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Eragon Shadeslayer/Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, Saphira & Eragon Shadeslayer (Inheritance Cycle)
Series: Many Paths [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773694
Comments: 44
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which the author throws two dragon riders from her favorite series' together, butchers the plot of the Inheritance Cycle which the author refuses to read again, and nerds out about dragon knowledge from the perspective of the ultimate dragon nerd. 
> 
> In other words, this will be loosely based on the Inheritance Cycle. The plot diverges almost immediately, so this will not be a rewrite of Eragon. Set shortly before Garrow's death and 'The Flight', and set after Drago Bloodfist and Stoic's death (spoilers?). 
> 
> Enjoy!

Hiccup exhaled sharply, hands shaking and so, so tired. Sweat trickled across his brow and down his neck, soaking his already drenched leathers and the ragged cloth beneath. Everything ached, deep  _ throbs _ that he could feel from the tips of his toes to the roots of his disheveled hair, long and matted after months of travel. 

But Hiccup didn’t have time to rest. Not when the best part of him lies so close to death. He couldn’t lose anyone else,  _ he couldn’t lose anyone else. _

Why, why,  _ why _ had it come to this? Why hadn’t he listened to Fishlegs, to his friends, to his  _ mother? _ Was he so  _ arrogant _ that he couldn’t see this coming? Did he think himself such a master of dragons and his own fate now that he was blind to the risks he was taking, endangering not only himself and his home, but his  _ dragon? _

_ Toothless was so synonymous with his heart now that Hiccup could hardly tell the difference between their individual pain, because they were one, had always been one. _

“T-Toothless,” Hiccup rasped, shaking fingers grinding the remaining herbs he had into a fine paste. But he was distracted, terribly so, bloodshot eyes flickering between his work and his best friend a few times a second as if looking again may present him with some new information, some new hope that would stop the spreading ice in his chest. “Hey, bud...hey, answer me.” 

But of course Toothless could not. And it was  _ his _ fault. 

He didn’t know if the dragon salve would even  _ begin _ to be enough, but he couldn’t find anything else. These surroundings were foreign to him, the knowledge of herbs and experiments he’d been cultivating for years since his first fateful interaction with Toothless  _ useless.  _ He’d scoured the clearing they’d landed in– _ screams, screams, he didn’t know if it was him or Toothless, couldn’t feel the tearing in his throat as terror consumed him, he was unconscious before they hit the ground– _ but though the ferns and the pine trees and the mountain flowers flourished in the high elevation climes, Hiccup couldn’t recognize a single one. And he couldn’t venture any further, couldn’t, because if he did he might never–Toothless might–

Hiccup’s breath rasped wetly in his chest, every inhale a stinging protest of his battered body, but he ignored it, even when harsh coughs wracked his thin frame without mercy. He wiped his lips roughly, forcing himself to  _ focus, Thor give him strength,  _ because if he didn’t, if he didn’t–

His heart clenched tightly in his chest and Hiccup knew that he wouldn’t survive Toothless. There was only a ‘before’ Toothless, never an after. He had lost too much to ever truly be whole again, and now the last tether of his sanity was lying meters away in an unknown condition and Hiccup didn’t know if he could help him. 

His vision blurred, and it wasn’t certain whether it was him losing consciousness again or the tears in his eyes. 

“T-Toothless,” he called again, but it was more of a crooning growl than words, he couldn’t articulate past the lump in his throat. His teeth chattered. He wondered if he could stay awake for long enough to finish this thrice-damned salve in the same breath as the thought that it wouldn’t matter if he did. 

He couldn’t feel his fingers anymore anyway. 

Giving up with a broken howl, Hiccup dragged his battered body over to his best friend’s still form, comforted at the very barest amount that he was still breathing at least. Still breathing. Toothless lay on his side, his dark wings splayed out awkwardly and his limbs limp. In the dim light of the evening he was merely a shadow on the soft lichens beneath Hiccup’s grasping hands, a fae illusion to those who weren’t looking for him. But Hiccup was always looking, even if it hurt more than he could possibly describe, the scene so reminiscent of their first encounter that it made him want to tear his own hair out because for the  _ third _ time, it was Hiccup who did this to him. 

Hiccup choked on tears and thick phlegm, scrabbling at his harness for air even though he couldn’t feel it. He had to get to Toothless...had to–

He reached out, and finally brushed Toothless’ side, warmth seeping into his numb body even with the barest touch. Belatedly, he realized that it was frigid, that he’d stopped shivering. He needed to get warm, needed to...build a fire....

Hiccup curled against Toothless’ side and knew no more. 

* * *

Some time later, Hiccup woke. 

Pain was his first greeting and for a moment the only thing he knew. He groaned with it, curled into himself as it ratcheted through him like blades digging into his skin. His bones, organs,  _ everything _ ached in a way he’d only known a couple times in his life and wished he would never, never have to again. Nothing broken, at least,  _ this _ time, but even in his fevered state he knew sickness had taken him. His breath rattled, his lungs swollen, heavy things in his chest and his throat ravaged with fever and the aftermath of his own screams. His head pounded in an unsteady beat in sync with his bruised heart and he wished fervently that it would  _ stop _ before his eyes were forced from his skull in a burst of gore. 

His surroundings came to him slowly and he hissed as morning light intruded past his clenched lids. The second thing he registered was that the world was shaking. 

...Shaking? No...not quite. It was...a vibration. A  _ growl. _

It rumbled through him like an earthquake, igniting Hiccup’s instincts as if he’d been stabbed through the stomach with his own flaming blade, because that sound meant  _ danger _ . It was low, thrumming, familiar as his own voice and Hiccup rocked with it, utterly  _ shocked _ and elated because– 

Hiccup’s eyes snapped open with a startled gasp and for a moment black was all he saw, his forehead pressed against the soft scales of Toothless’ chest. His dragon’s wings were no longer in their sprawl, instead wrapped around Hiccup’s thin frame in a warm cocoon that blocked out the chill of the mountain air effortlessly. “Toothless!” he rasped, jerking up to look into Toothless’ face, because he was awake, Toothless was  _ awake _ –

Toothless’ foreleg forced Hiccup back down into his chest and Hiccup’s arms collapsed with an  _ umph, _ the growl intensifying and numbing his skin, ripping through the still morning air threateningly. Hiccup struggled to turn his head and stare up into his friend’s triangular jaw, teeth bared and a soft purple glow glimmering from between them. A single emerald green eye flickered down to Hiccup and back up again, slitted and focused on something behind his charge. 

It finally registered beyond Hiccup’s elation to see his friend alive and awake that something was wrong, Toothless’ warning finally making it through to him. A cold wash of fear had Hiccup freezing for a split second before his struggles were renewed. Something was here and dangerous and Toothless was _ hurt, _ he had to get up and defend them! Sword, where was his sword, oh Thor, he didn’t remember, his pack was in shambles somewhere on the edge of the clearing and Hiccup unable see any of it beyond his healing supplies, how could he be so  _ stupid? _ They were in a foreign land with possibly hostile Vikings and he–

Hiccup convulsed, a wracking cough tearing from his throat and blistering through his head, obliterating all conscious thought for several seconds. Spots danced behind his eyes and the world spun around him as acrid liquid was forced from his lungs. Toothless’ growling stopped abruptly, transforming into a soothing croon that Hiccup could barely hear past the ringing in his ears. He shivered weakly, curling as much of himself into Toothless as he could possibly get, comforted by how the dragon’s wings wrapped around him ever tighter and helplessly riding out the pain. 

Something else made it through to him as well, and Hiccup flinched as a voice called out. The growl was back, but this time Hiccup forced himself to hear past it. 

_ “Hey! Hey, are you alright? Can you hear me?”  _ The man–a boy?–fell silent as Toothless barked, snapping his teeth and flashing his fire. He didn’t attack, however, and that told Hiccup that whoever it was was keeping his distance at the very least. The lack of any other voices and Toothless’ singular focus also meant that he was alone.  _ “Sorry, sorry, I promise I’m not a threat. I just want to help your rider.” _

Hiccup frowned as his lungs eased up, struggling to force the strange sounds into words. But he couldn’t make sense of it. Was he so feverish that he could no longer understand Norse? Still, the boy didn’t sound threatening, but concerned, and he hadn’t retreated even in the face of Toothless’ display. 

“Toothless,” he called past the fire in his throat. Toothless didn’t respond the first, nor the second time, but when Hiccup pounded weakly on his chest and let out another series of shuddering coughs, the dragon finally looked at him. “Toothless, we need help.” 

Toothless chirruped, glancing suspiciously between Hiccup and the stranger, and Hiccup tried to give him his sternest look. He knew Toothless could understand him, even if he didn’t know specific words. 

_ Be quiet and let me protect you, fragile human,  _ he seemed to say, tilting his head haughtily. It was somewhat ruined however, by the abrasions on the side of his face, pearl grey where his scales had been ripped off. 

“Bud, come on. I c-can barely move. You can’t fly.” 

A disgruntled growl was the stubborn dragon’s answer and Hiccup grunted a laugh. 

“Yeah, I know, you’re the big bad alpha. But even a chief needs help sometimes.” Hiccup grimaced as his own words sent a lance of pain through his chest, but he pushed it aside forcefully. No time for that now.

This time when Hiccup pushed himself upright, Toothless didn’t stop him. But he also didn’t unfold his wings, which left Hiccup to awkwardly wriggle around in his friend’s protective grip to face the stranger. 

He blinked blurrily into the light, all the more intense now that he was out of the shelter of Toothless’ embrace. As he’d imagined from the stranger’s voice, it was a young man, perhaps fifteen if Hiccup had to take a guess. He was cautious, crouched low to the ground with dark eyes that reflected both fear and awe as he watched Toothless warily. Shoulder length brown hair dusted the young man’s broad shoulders–a bit broader than Hiccup’s even though he seemed a couple years younger, but that was nothing new– a hunting bow dropped from numb fingers. Still, despite his obvious caution, he hadn’t run away, and Hiccup found himself grateful. 

“Hello,” Hiccup called, and the young man finally looked at him, concern and confusion washing over his boyish features. Hiccup cleared his throat and tried again, aware that his voice was little more than a ragged growl at this point. “My name is Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III, Chief of–” he swallowed past the automatic introduction, tasting the untruth like blood against his tongue before forcing himself past it, “and this is Toothless. Can you tell me where we are? Do you have–” Hiccup paused to hack into his clenched fist, shivers wracking his frame, “Do you have water?” 

_ “I don’t understand,” _ the boy called, and Hiccup realized abruptly that it wasn’t his fever, but that the boy was speaking a completely different language. He groaned, briefly giving in to the throb of his head to let it hang against his shoulder. This...complicated things. He was aware that they’d traveled far–very far–from the Archipelago, but this was an outcome he hadn't expected. Which was dumb. But well...he supposed he’d had other things to worry about. 

Toothless crooned softly above him, rubbing his jaw against the back of Hiccup’s head. Hiccup reached up and patted him absently, thinking through the ache. 

_ “Do you need help?”  _ the young man called again, a little more relaxed now that it seemed that he wasn’t about to be attacked. He stood cautiously under Toothless’ watchful eye. When he still wasn’t threatened, he bent over to pick up his bow.  _ “I tried asking your dragon, but she doesn’t seem to understand me any more than you do.” _

Toothless tensed, a growl ripping out of him like thunder and the boy yelped, falling back on his backside and staring with wide eyes. 

“Toothless,” Hiccup reprimanded tiredly. But he couldn’t really blame the dragon. He might have known the boy meant no harm, but Toothless had been threatened by humans so many times in his life that his caution was understandable. To the boy, he pointed to the bow and shook his head, hoping that at least gestures would breach the language barrier. To his relief, the boy nodded in understanding, getting up and cautiously shuffling away from the bow with raised hands. Encouraged, Hiccup smiled crookedly and mimed drinking. 

The boy’s answering smile was immediate and genuine, brown eyes crinkling beneath his rather serious brows.  _ “Yes, I have water. And food at my camp,” _ he gestured behind him, presumably from where he’d come.  _ “I can take you there. Is that your medicine?”  _

Hiccup’s head throbbed as he tried and failed to process the sudden chatter, but when the boy pointed to his discarded mortar and pestle, he kind of got what he was asking. Sort of. Still, he only had one priority at the moment. “Water,” he croaked, dragging a hand over his neck. If he didn’t get that soon, he knew he was going to be in real trouble. He hadn’t eaten or drank anything in a few days, and neither had Toothless. 

The boy clearly hadn’t understood the word, but he nodded anyway, taking a cautious step forward. Toothless didn’t like it, but aside from tensing, he didn’t growl at the stranger again. The awe was back in his dark eyes as he crept closer to the man and dragon intertwined, as if he’d seen a ray of hope after too long in the dark. Hiccup wondered at it. Had he never seen a dragon before? 

Just before reaching them, the boy looked Toothless straight in the eye and spoke.  _ “May I?”  _

It took Hiccup several seconds to realize that...he was speaking to Toothless. As if he knew he would understand. But he didn’t have the mental capacity right now to examine it too closely, so Hiccup filed that interesting tidbit away for later. 

Toothless gave the boy a long, considering look before finally acquiescing with a grumble, unfolding his wings and allowing Hiccup to sit upright. Hiccup let out a weak cough and the boy startled, pursing his lips and closing the few feet left between them with a determined frown. 

Tearing his eyes from the dragon, the boy crouched in front of Hiccup, lifting a pouch from his belt and unscrewing the cap, holding it out to Hiccup in offering. Hiccup noted absentmindedly the rough quality of his leather gloves, wondering vaguely if he was training to be a warrior or a farmer. Then he could think of nothing else but the cool liquid soothing the fire in his body with the faint taste of wine and sediment and well-oiled lambskin. Before he knew it, he’d drunk over half the skin and grimaced, forcing himself to stop. Taking a shuddering breath, Hiccup grabbed Toothless by the neck and offered the rest to him by pressing it to his softly scaled lips. Toothless hissed but didn't protest, opening his mouth and retracting his teeth, allowing Hiccup to squeeze the life-giving liquid inside, wrinkling his nose when Hiccup was done, flicking his tongue in distaste. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t like wine, but there’s not much in there. Now be grateful, this guy is helping us.” Hiccup ignored the huff of moist air through his hair, giving the young hunter a smile of thanks. “I don’t suppose you know of a village nearby...oh who am I kidding. You can’t understand me.” 

The boy cocked his head, earthen eyes dancing with amusement, his earlier trepidation seeming to have passed. He was watching Hiccup as closely as Hiccup seemed to be watching him, scanning his leather armor and the various buckles and contraptions attached to his person. Hiccup was used to the odd looks by now, so didn’t let it much bother him. To be perfectly fair, he had crash landed here rather spectacularly and was surprised he hadn’t caught the attention of others. 

Compared to Hiccup, the boy was dressed much more simply, the cloth lighter than Hiccup would wear casually, but then, it was quite a bit warmer here than he was used to even if the frost lining the ground and the dormant plants bespoke of late winter. A hunting knife was his only other weapon, and he kept his hands well away from it, thankfully. 

_ “Dragon rider,” _ the boy breathed with some reverence Hiccup didn’t understand, staring at Toothless just as intently as the dragon seemed to be regarding him.  _ “Are you an elf? You don’t look like an elf, but I can’t see your ears. Is your dragon a baby? Brom said they could get as big as a house, but this one’s only the size of a horse! I can’t believe this, after everything that’s happened... A dragon! A dragon  _ **_rider!_ ** ” He seemed to be working himself into a frenzy as Hiccup watched him bemusedly. It was kind of hard to keep his eyes open, and his throat still burned. He wondered how he could go about asking for more water…

The boy finally seemed to realize that Hiccup was fading and not really listening, because he fell silent with a sheepish smile.  _ “Sorry. Brom’s always telling me I ask too many questions. Here, let me help you, I have a camp just a little ways down the mountain.”  _ Hiccup didn’t understand any of it, but the hand offered to him was clear. The stranger wanted him to go with him. 

With a weary sigh, he reached out and grabbed the boy’s deceptively strong hand, allowing himself to be hoisted to his feet. He wobbled slightly but kept his footing. “What’s your name?” Hiccup tapped his own chest. “Hiccup,” he pointed, “Toothless,” and Toothless wiggled his neck, preening just a bit. 

A quick smile. The boy repeated the gesture with a fist over his heart. _ “Eragon.” _

* * *

The trek to Eragon’s camp was torturous, Hiccup and Toothless picking their way gingerly through the undergrowth along an animal trail Eragon seemed to know well. Hiccup could barely see the ground before him, leaning heavily on his new acquaintance’s side, too focused on making sure that Toothless was alright. Toothless moved slowly, head drooping and tongue lolling out of his mouth, but it didn’t appear that anything was broken. Hiccup didn't remember how they landed, but Toothless must have managed to save them. It was a testament to how much Toothless must be hurting that he didn’t insist that he bear Hiccup’s weight, allowing the stranger to touch him. 

It wasn’t like Toothless, and it had Hiccup worried. Very worried. 

His saddle was still in place, miraculously, though the mechanism for operating his tail was bent and broken beyond repair. Hiccup would have to rebuild it from scratch if he even wanted to hope to fly. The tail itself was miraculously intact, thank goodness, because Hiccup had long run out of material to repair it in the months since they left Berk. His leg throbbed in time with everything else, but Hiccup didn’t have the heart to look at his prosthetic, because if it was also damaged he didn’t know what he would do. 

Throughout the entire journey, Eragon seemed to have a boundless energy about him that belied his youth and made Hiccup feel like an old, tired man. He talked non stop about who knows what, shooting near worshipful glances at Toothless and Hiccup like they’d somehow granted his every wish at once. He also seemed to be curious to a fault with no real sense of personal boundaries, poking and prodding at pieces of Hiccup’s armor. Hiccup was reminded sharply of his younger self. 

Younger self? The boy couldn’t be any more than two years younger than Hiccup at the most, and yet, with everything that had happened in the past couple years–meeting Toothless, the Red Death, the integration of dragons, Vego Grimborne, Drago Bloodfist, becoming...becoming chief and the terrible events since–he felt aged well beyond his years. It was as if the innocence Eragon seemed to so easily express had never been a part of Hiccup too, his past a distant echo that had been lived by someone else, a story by the fireside. 

Hiccup allowed Eragon’s curiosity with an indulgent smile, because who was he to dim the light in the kid’s eyes? He even coughed a laugh when the boy found the mechanism to release Hiccup’s wings and his tailfin snapped out, nearly sending them both to the ground and making Eragon’s voice break in a startled yelp. Toothless grumbled behind them as Hiccup wound the mechanism back into place against his spine with clumsy fingers, enduring Eragon’s excited chatter all the while. 

_ Hatchling, _ Toothless grumbled in that curious warble he only seemed to make around pups, and Hiccup could only agree, repeating the sound and exchanging an exasperated look with his friend.

Eragon only quieted when Toothless lost his patience and slapped him upside the head with a flick of his tail, cutting off a particularly loud explanation of some sort. Hiccup sighed in relief as his headache eased ever so slightly and Eragon gave him a sheepish smile, leading them the rest of the way in silence. 

When they finally arrived at a sequestered clearing, Eragon helped an exhausted Hiccup down onto his bedroll beneath a short outcropping of rock. It wasn’t enough to be considered a proper shelter, but it kept the wind off of them and would somewhat protect them from rain or snow. Hiccup wheezed as he was laid out, nearly collapsing as Eragon eased him horizontal.  _ “Here we go, just stay here, okay?”  _ Without waiting for an answer, Eragon got up and wandered around the tiny camp, stoking his fire with patient hands until it was serviceable and its heat had drifted about them. He glanced over only once with curiosity as Toothless ambled to Hiccup’s side and collapsed, wrapping himself around Hiccup as he had before and falling near-instantly asleep. Otherwise, he left them alone, walking softly as he rummaged through his pack, glancing up at the sky and moving his mouth silently. 

Checking the weather, perhaps? Hiccup hoped it wouldn’t snow...

Hiccup lost track as he faded in and out of consciousness, lulled by his fever and the comforting sounds of Toothless’ snores. The boy clearly wasn’t a threat to them, and the realization left Hiccup with no energy left. 

When he finally woke again, it was to the heavenly smell of roasting meat and the sound of sizzling fat. Hiccup groaned, and for just a second he thought he was back in his house, Stoic stoking the fires of their hearth and filling their home with the warm scents of a hearty meal.

Then he remembered with brutal imagery that Stoic was dead. His father was dead, and he was far, far from home.

_ “Are you awake?”  _

Hiccup’s chest hitched and he opened his eyes slowly. It was evening again, somehow, the last rays of the sun peeking between the two surrounding mountains to cast a shadow into the valley below. There was a scuffle to his side and Hiccup turned his head with some effort, startling a little as a damp cloth slipped from his forehead. The camp was slightly different from when he’d last seen it and he realized after a split second that Eragon must have retrieved his belongings; a small pile of familiar items and twisted bits of metal sitting neatly on the far side of the fire. A makeshift spit sat over the flames, roasting an animal of some sort. Hiccup couldn’t tell, but it resembled the leg of a dear, or perhaps a mountain goat. 

Eragon himself was approaching slowly, watching Toothless warily, if less so than before. He needn’t have. Toothless still seemed deeply asleep. 

“Hey, Eragon,” Hiccup rasped, smiling slightly as the boy took a seat beside his reclined form. “I don’t suppose some of that is for us.”

Eragon gave him a quick smile and a shrug, which was fair, and then seemed to become distracted again, mumbling to the sky.  _ “Your fever has broken,” _ he said, turning to Hiccup again.  _ “I couldn’t really do anything but let it pass, sorry. I’d take you to Gertrude, but, well…” _ he gestured vaguely to Toothless.  _ “She’s beautiful by the way. Tuthass?”  _

“Toothless,” Hiccup corrected, catching the last part. Eragon nodded, then tried again, his accent thick but managing to wrap his teeth around the word. Eragon’s eyes were shining again as he glanced between the two of them. Slightly uncomfortable, Hiccup grimaced awkwardly and forced himself upright. He sighed at the cold sweat covering his form and knew he needed to get out of his leathers so they could dry. And he really, _ really _ needed a bath. The road hadn’t been kind to them, the vast stretch of ocean they’d been stranded over for the better part of two weeks draining Hiccup’s skin of all moisture. He licked his lips, recalling again how thirsty he was. 

But first thing’s first. He hadn’t seen anything before, and Toothless seemed to be breathing alright now, but he couldn’t rest until he’d made sure. Struggling upright, Hiccup began running his hands over Toothless’ wings and joints, wincing at every abrasion and taking note where scales had been shorn off. Already new scales were growing in, which was a good sign, peeking through his dark hide like glittering obsidian, a shade lighter than the matured scales surrounding them. His wings also seemed to be intact, and though his forelegs looked to have gotten the brunt of their harsh landing, they weren’t anything more than bruised. Hiccup remembered with some dismay the bloody mess they had been only a couple days ago and thanked any God that would listen profusely for the swift recovery speed of dragons. 

Hopefully all Toothless would need is food and plenty of rest. 

Eragon observed with watchful eyes as Hiccup went through the familiar tasks of caring for Toothless, checking his claws and brushing away grime from his scales. It might have worn him out, but it was soothing that Hiccup did so. 

Finally satisfied, Hiccup left Toothless to sleep with a gentle pat, smiling tiredly as Toothless rumbled Hiccup’s name. Hiccup answered absently, his Dragonese more coherent than usual thanks to his ravaged voice, and glanced longingly at the sizzling meat while his stomach gave a piteous groan, reminding Hiccup abruptly of his drastically low blood sugar. 

Eragon seemed to come out of a daze, getting to his feet and waving Hiccup to sit down. Removing the roast from the fire after giving it a careful pinch, Eragon unsheathed his knife and cut off a fairly large portion, offering it to Hiccup with gloved fingers.  _ “Deer,” _ he said simply, and Hiccup didn’t care what that meant, as long as he could eat it. 

The two of them ate quietly for a time, Hiccup caring little that the meat was tough and pretty flavorless–reminded him of home actually–when he felt Eragon’s eyes on him. Hiccup hesitated, glancing up, but after a second decided to ignore it until his hunger was sated. Clearly, Eragon wanted to talk, and though his sickness had eased somewhat, Hiccup needed his strength if he was going to have to pantomime everything. 

Finishing his food off in record time and licking the grease from his fingers, Hiccup gave a grateful belch and patted his stomach, sighing as he leaned back against Toothless’ relaxed form. He glanced at Eragon, who was looking at him with a raised brow, and rolled his eyes, gesturing for the boy to speak. “Alright, enough with the puppy looks. Go on, ask your questions.” Hiccup was starting to think there was no end to them, but he was hardly going to deny the boy who very well may have saved his and Toothless’ lives.

Instead of the instant flood of questions though, Eragon became pensive, dark brows furrowing as if he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say. Hiccup waited patiently.

_ “You’re a dragon rider,” _ he said slowly, glancing at Toothless and back.  _ “I...I thought I was the only one.”  _ He seemed to steel himself then, glancing all around as if someone might pop out and attack them. Then he pinned Hiccup beneath his gaze and Hiccup realized that maybe this boy wasn’t as untried as he thought. There was something...hunted about him, as if he carried more secrets than a boy his age should.  _ “Galbatorix,” _ Eragon said, slowly and deliberately. 

Hiccup blinked. “What?” 

_ “The Foresworn. Doru Araeba.” _

“You’ve...okay, you’ve completely lost me.” Hiccup tried to exchange an incredulous look with Toothless, only to remember that he was asleep at the last moment. He shifted uncomfortably beneath Eragon’s searching regard, but whatever Eragon saw in his face, it must have satisfied him. He nodded resolutely, and for some reason, began to remove the glove on his right hand as solemnly as announcing the death of a loved one. 

Eragon froze, his gaze going distant again, lips moving silently and Hiccup was starting to wonder if his new friend wasn’t crazy. But a second later, Eragon shook his head and said aloud,  _ “I have to, Saphira. He might be the only one who can help us.”  _

“Uh…” But it didn’t seem that Eragon had been talking to him. 

The boy lifted his palm and seemed to hold his breath, fingers steady despite the clear fear in his eyes. Raising his brows, Hiccup looked at his proffered hand. He frowned. 

His palm was silver. And not the white of old scar tissue either, but the gleam of liquid quicksilver, or perhaps a pearl. It held a faint glow about it, like a Frightmare’s saliva, and something about the mark made the hair on Hiccup’s arm stand on end. He didn’t know what to make of it, but Eragon seemed to think it would mean something to him. “I don’t get what you’re trying to tell me,” he said cautiously. 

Eragon frowned, then gestured first to Toothless, then to Hiccup’s hands, seeming to give up on words entirely.  _ “Show me yours.” _

Shaking his head, and not quite liking the intensity this strange boy was regarding him with, Hiccup pulled off his own gloves and lifted his hands, showing nothing but callused skin from years at the forge, handling dragons and wielding a blade. 

Several things happened at once. Eragon’s face fell, then filled with alarm as he jerked his gaze to the sky. Toothless came awake with a start, ears perked and teeth bared in a guttural snarl. Hiccup yelped as he was abruptly picked up by the back of his jerkin and thrown behind Toothless, grunting as he hit the ground harshly, breath punched right out of him. “T-Toothless, what–”

But his question was answered when a thunderous roar shattered the peace and a dragon crashed into the glade, smothering the fire with a sweep of its tail and snatching Eragon from where he stood, throwing him over its shoulders. 

“Eragon!” Hiccup struggled to his feet, alarmed, but Toothless stood between him and the strange dragon, back arched and wings spread imperiously. A screeching started from deep in his belly and Hiccup blanched as purple arced up his spine, preparing to fire. 

_ “Saphira, no!” _ Eragon cried, struggling to right himself as the dragon reared, raising its own shimmering blue wings in defense. The dragon’s head was long like a horse’s and its neck snakelike, broadening into a wide frame with four legs like Toothless’ but with feet shaped like a Naddar’s. Unlike Toothless, whose center of gravity lay close to the ground, this dragon was tall with toothlike spines protruding from its head all the way down its tail. It was unlike any dragon Hiccup had seen, and a tiny thrill of excitement made its way through the nerves.

_ Young, _ Hiccup observed through his shock, noting the slightly graceless way the dragon moved, though its wingspan was nearly the length of Toothless’ already. “Toothless, wait, don’t attack!” 

Toothless shot him a look, jerking his chin with a grunt,  _ I won’t if she doesn’t! _

_ She? Hatchling?  _ Hiccup chirped back, making sure he heard right and Toothless answered with a snarl, attention back on the aggressor.

“Okay, okay, let’s all calm down,” Hiccup said soothingly, standing and lowering his eyes from the female’s incensed sapphire gaze. As he walked past, he ran a comforting hand over Toothless’ hide. His friend was a line of tension and he could still feel his fire radiating through his scales. If he didn’t de-escalate this now blood would be shed, and despite this dragon’s size and Toothless’ injuries, he had no doubt that he would kill her if she made a wrong move. Toothless’ tail quivered but he allowed Hiccup to pass, trusting that his human could handle the threat and indicating that he would cover with a flick of his ear.

Hiccup approached cautiously, body angled slightly away and eyes lowered. “Hey, girl, it’s alright…” The female didn’t relax, but he didn’t really expect her too. He glanced briefly at Eragon, who watched, stunned but unhurt and unafraid, and Hiccup realized that this dragon might be his partner. But it didn't look like she knew how to handle him, nor he, her. Newly bonded then…

Groping along his leg, Hiccup cursed when he couldn’t find his fire sword. Right. It was probably across the camp. He needed...there. There was a small vial of Monstrous Nightmare saliva that he uncorked and slathered along his wristguard. With a piece of flint he always kept on his person, he ignited it with a swift swipe, the fireproof material hardly heating beneath the flame. He lowered his hand and allowed the acrid smoke to surround him, masking his scent. It only lasted a couple of seconds before flickering out, but that was usually enough. 

_ “What are you doing?”  _ Eragon said, voice tense, but it was the dragon’s reaction Hiccup was watching. She’d stopped growling, her wings lowering a little bit at a time. 

“There, see? I’m one of you,” Hiccup said softly, crooning a couple nonsense words in Dragonese that he sometimes heard the adult dragon’s make around the hatchlings. She didn’t answer, instead snaking her head to the side to regard Eragon. Eragon could only shrug as a silent conversation seemed to pass between them. Hiccup briefly wondered if she spoke a different language as well, but decided now wasn’t the time to contemplate. He took another cautious step forward, extending his hand. She jerked back around, but Hiccup couldn’t sense anything more than curiosity from her this time. Toothless didn’t say anything, the scream of his fire faded to silence and Hiccup relaxed, waiting. He closed his eyes. 

_ “I think...I think he’s trying to show you he’s not a threat.”  _ Eragon sounded bemused.  _ “Are you sure he’s not a rider? I mean, he has a saddle and everything…” _

A low rumble and a cool point against Hiccup’s hand had his eyes snapping open in surprise. He looked up into the dragons’ still arched neck and then at his hand, where a single pointed claw rested against his palm. That was...odd. It was like...He cautiously wrapped his fingers around the claw and let out a startled laugh as she made a pleased hum. “Well, that’s unusual, but we  _ are _ in a foreign land, I suppose. Even dragons have different cultures.” 

_ Friend? _ Toothless called, but only got a tilted head in response. Toothless crooned at Hiccup, frustrated, and Hiccup could only shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine, bud.” 

_ “Hiccup.” _ Eragon caught his attention, a broad smile taking his features, and Hiccup couldn’t help but smile back, the last of the tension leaving him as he carefully released her claw and stepped back. Eragon patted the dragon’s neck. _ “Saphira.” _

“Nice to meet you, Saphira,” Hiccup replied with a gentle smile. Suddenly he was exhausted, collapsing back on the ground with a huff. He glanced mournfully at the fire and shivered, wishing for warmth. Unfortunately, it looked like Toothless was otherwise occupied. His ears had fallen back, pupils dilated and head tilted and Hiccup rolled his eyes. Saphira looked equally curious, barely seeming to notice as Eragon slipped off her flank and made his way over to Hiccup. The two riders watched with amusement as the dragons sniffed at each other, Toothless prancing and huffing haughtily at Saphira, who didn’t seem to know quite what to do, snaking her head around as he circled her. 

_ “I can’t believe it,” _ Eragon breathed, and Hiccup hummed in agreement with his tone. When he’d left home and crash-landed on this mountain, he hadn’t expected to find another rider so soon, if ever. It was amazing that there were other riders out there after his struggles back home, but he guessed he couldn’t be too surprised after everything he’s seen. He could only be thankful that they were friendly. He glanced at his pack, wondering if it would be worth the energy to grab his sketchbook, but decided it could be left for later. 

His thoughts scattered with a heady throb of pain through his head, a mixture of longing and nostalgia banishing his innate curiosity and dimming the excitement of meeting another dragon, something that would usually fill him with joy. But all he could feel right now was...empty. He drew his knees to his chest. Home...not for the first time in these long, lonely months, he wondered if he would ever be able to see it again. 

A hand landed on his shoulder and pulled Hiccup from his thoughts. Hiccup stirred, taking a deep breath before looking up into the most hopeful expression he’d ever witnessed, Eragon’s elation and desperation painted across his young face like the pure blue sky breaking through the gloom of a passing storm. Hiccup’s eyes widened, wondering what he’d done to garner such a look, when the boy gripped his shoulder tightly as if the older were his only lifeline.  _ “Please, Hiccup. I don’t know what brought you here and I know we just met, but…” _ he glanced at Saphira and Toothless, who preened as she examined his saddle,  _ “Please. Teach us everything you know.”  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I have no earthly idea where this came from. Actually, I do. You can blame the lovely [Charlie-chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie_chan16/pseuds/Charlie_chan16) for enabling this nonsense and putting the idea in my head. They are now officially my beta and will be writing a similar AU in the LoTR verse, called (wait for it) The World Ahead (because we are irredeemable nerds). I am beta for that, so if you enjoy this, you will probably enjoy that as well. This fic will be linked with 'The World Ahead' when it is posted, so look forward to that! 
> 
> No promises on a posting schedule since I have two other WIPs in their final stages, but since it will be linked with Charlie-chan's fic, you can expect at least a chapter every like, month and a half maybe. 
> 
> I haven't decided if this fic will contain romance, but I'm a sap so it will probably end up being Hiccup/Eragon because Eragon deserved better than to be alone forever. 
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you like this, drop me a line, it's what keeps fics alive. Follow me [@LynxriderWrites](https://twitter.com/LynxriderWrites) on twitter so we can scream together. Lynx, out!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup and Toothless recover, Eragon makes a choice.

Hiccup recovered from his illness. Eventually. 

In the short winter days that Eragon and Saphira played host, Hiccup fell in and out of consciousness, plagued with a violent cough and fever. Nights were cold and even with the medicine Eragon brought him on the third day of their stay at the camp, it took Hiccup a week for his fever to break for the last time. 

It was no wonder. Surviving solely on a diet of raw fish for two weeks since the last island Hiccup and Toothless had been able to roost, their water stores decimated still days out from the hope of land, then the violent storm that had swept them inland until they crashed brutally into the mountain, Hiccup’s body had reached the limits of its endurance. 

Toothless was no better. While Hiccup recovered, Toothless...did not. He was awake less and less each day, ate little of the food Saphira provided them, and barely responded to Hiccup’s calls when they were both awake. 

“I just don’t know what’s wrong with him,” Hiccup husked, running a pale hand over his best friend’s side. Toothless had been sleeping for a full day now without waking, only the rise and fall of his chest indicating life in a body usually so full of energy. This was the longest Hiccup had been able to maintain consciousness as well, finally lucid enough to hold a proper vigil. “He’s never been sick like this before…” Sure, they’ve had the occasional dragon fever and he’d eaten things he shouldn’t every once in a while, but never something like this. Toothless’ scales even seemed duller now, as if something malicious sucked the life from his bones. The only thing they’d encountered with quite this effect was a flower from the islands surrounding their home that could be refined into a dangerous poison. But they had encountered nothing like that since leaving the archipelago. 

Eragon shifted silently behind Hiccup without an answer. The boy watched over them as often as he could but frequently left for the valley during the day. When he returned, he would bring Hiccup food, warm clothes, and small comforts of home. He was obviously a young man of little means but cared enough about a stranger to provide what he could spare. Hiccup was grateful and found that he liked Eragon, the younger boy as selfless as he was curious. He reminded him a bit of Fishlegs, in fact, though Eragon was not timid by nature. 

But there were things that Hiccup observed that unsettled him. Like the conspicuous fact that Eragon did not bring anyone else to their hollow, though Hiccup had spied the fire smoke of a distant town. Like the fact that Saphira kept vigilant watch and never left them alone, even to hunt, unless Eragon was there to take her place. A subtle tension unrelated to Toothless’ illness hung over them all and had Hiccup the energy, he probably would have been more worried about it. 

_ “I’m sorry,” _ Eragon said finally, sounding just as frustrated as Hiccup felt. Saphira rumbled deep in her chest, her long head snaking over Hiccup’s shoulder to rest mournfully against Toothless’ side. 

“I know, girl, I know,” Hiccup said absently, reaching up to scratch lightly over the soft scales beneath her jaw. Saphira puffed a soft plume of smoke and blinked at him with one large blue eye, leaning into his touch. Hiccup smiled, disarmed. Some things about dragons, just like humans, were universal. “I wish we could speak,” he said with some regret. “But you don’t know Dragonese. And Eragon doesn’t know Norse...I suppose we’ll have to learn your language somehow.” 

Eragon crouched at Hiccup’s side, recognizing his name but little else. Hiccup could only offer a weak smile, rueful. He still didn’t know what Eragon wanted from him. Eragon had tried to talk to him again, but Hiccup’s worry over Toothless and his frankly tenuous grasp on lucidity had been even more of a barrier than their lack of a common language. 

If only Toothless would get better. 

With a regretful sigh, Eragon patted Toothless’ side and stood. Hiccup barely acknowledged him as he turned to leave, but at the edge of camp Eragon paused and took a deep breath, calling Hiccup’s name.  _ “I’m going to bring back someone who can help,” _ he said seriously. 

Hiccup didn’t need to understand his words to catch the slow determination growing on his new friend’s face. He nodded, unsure precisely what Eragon intended to do, but trusting that he would do Hiccup and Toothless no harm. Maybe he intended to come back with more medicine. Though...Hiccup wasn’t certain any human medicine was going to help Toothless now.

Eragon and Saphira shared a long look, the connection of their eyes seeming to hold a heated discussion. It was something that Hiccup had been wondering at more and more as time went by and he began to realize that his intuition wasn’t just a trick of his fever. They were communicating somehow without sounds or even gestures. He glanced between them, uncomprehending, but once again couldn’t find any clue even as the two clearly came to some sort of agreement. 

Frustratingly mysterious, Eragon left in a whisper of brush and Hiccup sighed, resting against Toothless, a familiar, prickling loneliness dragging his gaze. To Saphira, he said casually, “How do you two do it? It took me and Toothless months before we could understand each other so well, and that was with a lot of pantomiming and growling and regurgitating fish.” With one hand, he gestured between Saphira and the space Eragon once occupied. He didn’t expect her to answer. Dragons rarely did in so many words, generally dismissing human chatter as nonsense or completely misunderstanding. It was a rare human like Hiccup’s mother who could truly converse with them. Who knew the right  _ questions _ . 

So when Saphira looked into Hiccup’s eyes thoughtfully–a sudden strong flash of the Alpha’s face when they met, his vast intelligence and the depth of his soul–and  _ answered _ , Hiccup could do nothing but stare dumbly. Saphira, in a shockingly human gesture, gently plucked Hiccup’s right hand from his lap between clumsy but careful claws and flipped it over, touching his palm and looking at him meaningfully. 

Hiccup flexed his palm slowly. “The mark...that’s what Eragon was trying to show me. You can communicate with him because of that?” Hiccup touched his mouth and Saphira nodded. Hiccup let out a gusty breath. “This is unprecedented. Some kind of...mental link? Between species? I’ve never...I-ah, sometimes Toothless speaks to me, I know he’s sentient and intelligent, I mean, we just speak different languages but I’m learning, and  _ he’s _ learning and–but I-ah-I have so many  _ questions–”  _

Saphira emitted a throaty grunt that was so familiar that Hiccup’s jaw snapped closed, cutting off his stream of consciousness abruptly. He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as her hot breath washed over him. She was  _ laughing _ at him. 

“Alright, okay, laugh at the human, I see how it is.” He growled low in his chest and slapped her leg with his foot, as close to a  _ shut up _ he could get as a human without a tail. It was somewhat ineffective since a kick meant something a little different, but Toothless never seemed to care much about semantics. Hiccup’s prosthetic–undamaged, thankfully, even after all he’d put it through– clicked against her scales before he let it drop back to the ground. Saphira looked at it curiously but let it be. 

She narrowed her eyes at Hiccup. Taking her claw, she touched his palm again and looked him in the eye. She nodded. 

Hiccup didn't understand. But he mirrored her, nodding in assent. 

Something began to buzz in the back of his mind. He shook his head, almost convinced that a fly had gotten into his ear. He shook it again more slowly as it got stronger. “Okay, definitely not a fly…” he gasped, flinching as something...broke through. 

_ Hiccup. _

Hiccup lurched up from his relaxed sprawl, looking around wildly in disbelief. 

“Astrid?” 

He thought...he thought he’d heard her voice. But that was impossible.  _ Impossible _ . Astrid couldn’t–Astrid was–

_ Hiccup. _

Saphira rumbled, nudging him until he looked at her. Hiccup did, though he suspected he was falling back into his fever because he was hearing voices in his head,  _ oh gods, what next?  _

But her pointed look calmed him. 

_ Hiccup. _

“Oh. Oh, it’s you. I thought…” Hiccup looked longingly into the woods, but of course...of course they were alone. He sighed heavily, slumping back down. Still, wonder filled him as he gazed up into Saphira’s fathomless eyes. “So this is how you talk?” He flipped his hand over, but no silver marked him. “I..don’t get it. But this is pretty amazing.” He grinned, wide and toothy, the possibilities of what he just discovered exciting him more than anything had in a while. A small flicker of...amusement? filtered into Hiccup’s head and he gasped, closing his eyes and trying to chase it as he would a Terrible Terror through the village square. Instead, when he reached he got a flood of images. 

Vertigo took him and suddenly it was–

_ –bright, bright, bright, it hurts her eyes, but she’s curious as sensation-sights-sounds flood into her awareness for the first time. A small noise and Saphira looks up into the face of a young man–Eragon, Hiccup knew, but the boy was a stranger through the dragon’s eyes, and much, much larger than her. A stranger, but not dangerous. In fact, as he reaches for her she reaches for  _ him,  _ because on some instinctive level she knows he is meant to be hers– _

_ Hiccup blinked and he was in the hollow of a tree, feathers beneath his claws, Saphira’s claws, her belly full and satisfied and the nest of cloth and bones safe and warm. Eragon would come soon with more food and Saphira could already feel him approach, his mind as familiar as his voice– _

_ –that never stops. Eragon speaks to her constantly, reprimanding when she makes too many marks on the trees and soft when he explains to her the meanings of things– _

_ He’s worried, she can tell, and he seems so small to her now as she grows large and strong. He’s given up bringing her food and she is satisfied that he knows she can provide for them both– _

_ She’s amused by the names he brings back from the storyteller, names that don’t match her bright scales and sparkling eyes and strong wings– _

_ He wants her to hide and she can taste his fear growing. They speak now, Saphira learns more by the day and now she knows enough to be afraid too–afraid for her rider, but she will protect him– _

“Ah-ha, okay, okay! I–whoa,” Hiccup gasped, chest heaving as he tried and failed to process the flood of information. To his relief, Saphira withdrew from his mind, leaving him once again alone in the silence. They weren’t–it wasn’t  _ words _ per se, but impressions and images and memories. He could understand them on the most basic level because in those memories he  _ was _ Saphira, seeing the world through her eyes. “Uh. Do you always see so much blue?”

Wait, not important, he needed–

Hiccup jumped to his feet with more energy than he should possess, muttering excitedly under his breath. He rummaged through his pack and pulled out his personal book of dragons–penned and illustrated by himself, Fishlegs was fiercely protective of the original copy–removing it from its element proof case and flipping through the pages. He was careful not to let any of the loose diagrams and illustrations fall out, noting for probably the tenth time that it was time to make another binding, and found an empty page. 

“–imparting telepathic memories to other species, I wonder how that evolved? She’s possibly of a herd class of dragons, maybe even hive-minded like Fireworms–”

As he muttered his hand moved rapidly over the page, charcoal he’d snatched from the firepit clutched between two fingers and smearing his skin with black. It was several seconds of drawing Saphira that he realized that he had an observer. Hiccup paused, looking up sheepishly into Saphira’s curious gaze. If dragons could lift an eyebrow, she would surely be doing so, and yet the spirit of the thing came across loud and clear. 

“Ah, sorry, I get kind of carried away sometimes.” He scratched the back of his head, heedless of the black he was streaking through his auburn hair. He winced as his fingers caught on a tangle. Saphira didn’t look perturbed, however, leaning over him and staring at her likeness on the center of the page. “Uhm, it’s not very good, I’m a little out of practice,” Hiccup demurred even though she probably didn’t understand. He stiffened as her mind brushed his again, her curiosity coming through as easily as any spoken question. Hiccup laughed nervously. “Wow, that is going to take some getting used to. Would you like to see?” 

Without waiting for an answer, Hiccup flipped slowly through the pages of the dragons he’d most recently discovered, amused as she turned her head this way and that with each new discovery, an excitement growing in her that he was delighted to share in. Hiccup was reminded sharply of the moment Toothless finally allowed him to touch him for the first time, how curious and so unexpectedly kind his eyes had been when he’d seen Hiccup’s drawings. Hiccup wondered if Saphira saw it too when her mind lightly brushed against his. If she did, she didn’t comment, content to listen and watch as Hiccup talked.

That was how they spent the remainder of the afternoon, Hiccup moving on to drawings in the dirt when he ran out of pages. It was a limited collection since he hadn’t been able to gather all of his notes before he left–wouldn’t be able to carry all of it anyway–so he moved onto stories instead in a physical imitation of how she’d shown him hers. 

He was halfway through the story of his disastrous graduation from Viking training when Saphira’s head jerked up, pupils narrowing into fine slits. Hiccup reacted almost as quickly, spinning around in a low crouch, his hand hovering over his reclaimed fire sword. Saphira wasn’t quite as emotive as Toothless so he couldn’t tell if it was danger she sensed, but he was attuned enough with dragons to know that something was wrong. 

“What is it?” he whispered, slowly backing up until he stood right in front of her and Toothless’ unconscious form. Saphira’s answer was to nudge him back, angling her body until Toothless was completely hidden. “Saphira?” 

When she didn’t answer, he took the hint and inched slowly back into the brush, drawing his blade but not igniting it just yet. Saphira knew better than he the dangers that stalked them and if she wasn’t outwardly alarmed, he trusted her to react the way she knew best. 

They weren’t alone for long. A man Hiccup didn’t recognize made his way slowly through the brush. He was older, his once dark hair now streaked near entirely with grey, his back tall and straight and almost regal despite his ragged travel cloak. He did not take his eyes from Saphira as he approached, mumbling under his breath words Hiccup couldn’t hear–and probably wouldn’t be able to understand anyway. He watched warily as the man looked at Saphira much as Eragon had looked at Hiccup. But it was tinged with grief where Eragon’s had been filled with hope, the man’s eyes glimmering in the speckled light. 

Eragon came next, stepping past the stranger carefully to greet his partner. Eragon spoke with the man briefly and the elder smiled, bowing with a fist over his heart and greeting Saphira in a strong, clear voice. Saphira snorted in satisfaction, ruffling her wings and relaxing her tense muscles. 

_ “Hiccup,”  _ Eragon called, and Hiccup rose cautiously, his sword lowered but not yet discarded as he walked around Saphira’s bulk to greet the new stranger. Eragon gave him a reassuring smile and swept his hand toward the stranger.  _ “Brom.” _

Brom? He’d heard Eragon mention that name before. Was Brom Eragon’s father?

_ “Who is this?”  _ Brom demanded sharply and Hiccup straightened, his fist tightening over his sword. Brom’s shock was plain, whatever emotion he’d felt before in Saphira’s presence wiped away by cold suspicion. 

Brom’s hand began inching toward his belt and Hiccup could only watch with growing dread as the stranger prepared to attack. 

* * *

“Wait, he’s a friend,” Eragon said quickly, stepping between his new companion and Brom, alarmed at Brom’s sudden hostility.

His new friend did not react kindly to the threat, crouching low and raising his peculiar sword defensively. Hiccup’s impossibly green eyes went wide and he said a few short words in his abrupt language, nasally voice tight with nervousness. 

“A friend, you say?” Brom said gruffly, his shoulders relaxing enough for Eragon to take a full breath again. “Is this the ‘friend’ you mentioned that needed help?” 

_ Eragon, _ Saphira said, her own tension renewed and reverberating through their bond. She had not removed herself from her stance in front of Toothless.  _ What did you tell him? _

_ Just that I had a friend who was sick, _ Eragon replied somewhat defensively. It wasn’t like he was going to just blurt out their entire story in the middle of Carvahall! It had been a fierce argument between them whether Eragon contacted Brom at all, but he was the only one who knew of dragons beyond superstitious tales spoken beside the hearth on cold winter nights. One of the few in Alagaesia who told the old stories without fear of the king’s retribution. 

Neither Saphira nor Eragon knew enough about dragons or illnesses in general to be able to help Toothless, much to their continued frustration. 

To let a dragon die was unthinkable. Watching Toothless struggle over the past week while they had been able to do  _ nothing _ became more and more unacceptable by the day, pulled at Eragon in ways he didn’t quite understand. Hiccup’s grief, how he cried out for his partner even in the throes of fever filled Eragon with cold fear, because the thought of anything befalling Saphira...he didn’t know if he would be any better. Eragon could only wipe away Hiccup’s sweat and make sure he was as comfortable as possible, hoping beyond hope that Toothless would wake on his own. 

But Eragon and Saphira both realized that they could wait no longer. Even if it put them in danger, they had to do everything in their power to make sure Hiccup and Toothless pulled through. 

The old storyteller had always been sharper than he seemed, worldly in a way that the others of Carvahall lacked. It was why Eragon had been drawn to Brom in the first place, why he’d become Eragon’s confidante through the years, one of the very few in Carvahall who listened to his questions and humored him when Eragon’s fanciful ideas struck. Eragon  _ wanted _ to trust him, even if it had unsettled him that the older man had been asking more and more questions in return. 

Eragon was no master of subtlety, he would freely admit, and there were only so many oddly specific questions about dragons–questions that became less cautious and more insistent as Toothless’ illness persisted–that he could ask before Brom started asking questions of his own. 

A slight of hand and a loosened glove were all it took to expose him. 

Eragon’s first reaction was, of course, fear. To be revealed would mean that no small amount of anger and suspicion would rain down on them, the small-town folk of Carvahall superstitious and rightly king-fearing as a people. 

But the more Eragon thought about it, the more he realized that he needed help.  _ Toothless _ needed help and Brom hadn’t looked at Eragon with hostility. Eragon wasn’t sure what the look in his eyes meant, but to his great surprise Brom kept Eragon’s secret. That, more than anything else, was what had finally decided Eragon to bring him here. Yet now that he’d come, Eragon couldn’t help but dread his decision was the wrong one.

Saphira brushed against his mind reassuringly and Eragon relaxed slightly, knowing that if it came to blows in defense of their new friends, she would easily be able to drive Brom away. 

What came after that, however, didn’t bear contemplation.

“Not him,” Eragon answered stiffly. Hiccup’s eyes flickered uncertainly and Eragon straightened, a sharp feeling of responsibility and protectiveness banishing his nerves.

“Ah. And who is  _ he?” _

“He’s like me,” Eragon said, watching Brom’s face carefully. “A dragon rider.”

Brom’s eyes widened and he took a staggered step back as if Eragon struck him. “Impossible,” he whispered before horrified realization overcame his features. He drew his sword, something akin to panic in his eyes. 

Saphira reacted quickly, surging to her feet and roaring in warning, her voice reverberating off the mountainside as dismayed adrenaline spiked Eragon’s blood. 

To Eragon’s shock, Brom did not back down, but neither did he attack, heeding Saphira’s warning with bared teeth. “Eragon, get away from him. If he’s a dragon rider then it means he’s in service to the king.” 

“He isn’t!” Eragon denied immediately, shielding Hiccup as best as he was able. Hiccup’s mouth was a hard slash across his face and Eragon fervently hoped this wouldn’t come to blows. Where did Brom even get a sword? He was a storyteller! Where did this steel come from that he could face down an enraged dragon without fear? “He’s not in service to the king. He isn’t even from Alagaesia!” 

Brom frowned, his sword tip lowering slightly, unwilling to harm Eragon. “How do you know?” he barked. 

“He doesn’t speak our language at all and he recognized none of the names I recited for him. He’s never even heard of Galbatorix.” 

Brom was unconvinced. “Eragon, you are young, but surely you have encountered those capable of lying. Those in service to the king–” 

Eragon bristled, cutting him off. “He is not Galbatorix’s rider.”  _ Saphira, let him see Toothless. _

_ Is that wise? _ she said, eyeing Brom with distrust. She had no connection nor memories with this man but what Eragon could convey.

_ Trust me, _ Eragon implored and flinched when a warm palm fell against his back. Eragon met Hiccup’s eyes as the older boy deliberately put aside his sword, letting his stance fall neutral. Eragon swallowed, hoping beyond hope that Hiccup was right to put his faith in him.

Seeing Hiccup’s resolve, Saphira relented and stepped aside to reveal Toothless’ still form. 

A clattering of steel against stone belied Brom’s shock, hands falling slack at his sides. “What…?”

“This is Toothless,” Eragon said with as much calm as he could muster. “He’s a different kind of dragon than Saphira. He’s sick and we don’t know how to help him.”

Brom stared for several long seconds. “This is not what I expected,” he said quietly. He didn’t appear to need an answer, taking a cautious step toward the unconscious dragon. 

Hiccup’s fingers tightened against Eragon’s shoulder and he spoke sharply, halting Brom with a harsh bark. Brom paused and gave Hiccup a new, assessing look, seeming to realize himself the truth of Hiccup’s origins. His eyes softened in acceptance and he bowed gracefully, to everyone’s shock. “My apologies, rider. It is clear now that you are not from this land. My suspicion was unwarranted.” Gesturing to Toothless, he continued, “May I see your dragon? I may be able to help.” 

The stalemate held for longer than Eragon was comfortable, unable to read either of them. 

_ Eragon. Are you sure this man is a mere storyteller? _ Saphira whispered in his mind and Eragon’s lips pulled down.

_ I...I don’t know anymore. _

Hiccup’s shoulders fell and the moment was broken with an audible breath. Resignation and pleading filled his eyes as he released Eragon and collapsed at Toothless’ side, beckoning Brom closer with a weak hand. Brom took the invitation for what it was, swiftly moving to kneel and examine Toothless with a critical eye. 

“Can you help him?” Eragon asked urgently. 

“I don’t know yet, boy. Give me a moment.” Brom ran his hands from the tip of Toothless’ snout to the base of his throat, humming. “What are his symptoms?” 

Hiccup’s brows furrowed and Eragon answered for him. “He’s been sleeping more than is safe. He barely eats and is plagued with coughs when he does.”

Brom nodded and closed his eyes. After several seconds, he opened them again, brows lowered. “I need you to collect some herbs for me. Find orion root, it is a red plant that grows near water–” he listed off several more and Eragon struggled to remember it all. When he finished Eragon took off into the forest. The last image he saw of Hiccup and Brom, the older man was pantomiming a grinding motion and Hiccup’s eyes were grim with understanding. 

Once the necessary ingredients were gathered, Eragon returned to find the camp in disarray, Hiccup’s pack of peculiar items strewn haphazardly and a small pot hanging over the fire, water boiling rapidly. Brom took the herbs from Eragon’s hands and ground them down to a fine powder before dumping them into the water, both boys and dragon watching anxiously as he worked. “This is a medicine that will help fight infection. Toothless may be reacting to something his immune system is not prepared to fight if he is from as far away as you say,” Brom explained as he worked.

“Is that what happened to Hiccup?” Eragon asked, realization dawning. Were there illnesses here that Hiccup and Toothless didn’t have in their lands? 

Brom gave him a curious look. “Possibly. Though it seems your young friend recovered on his own.” 

Eragon nodded. “I had Gertrude make him something for the fever.” 

“Hm. And she didn’t ask who it was for?” 

Eragon shifted uneasily. “She did. I had to lie.” Brom’s pointed look wasn’t necessary for Eragon to know that he was terrible at lying and he flushed, refusing to comment further. 

“We can speak of it later,” Brom relented, taking the pot from the fire. “Help me get Toothless’ mouth open.” 

Hiccup seemed to understand immediately what they were after because he stepped to Toothless’ side and gently pried open his jaw, allowing Brom to pour the boiling liquid inside. Eragon flinched, dismayed. “Won’t you burn him?” 

“Dragon’s breathe fire, boy, or haven’t you been paying attention. A little hot water will not harm him.” To Saphira, he said, “This is where you come in, Saphira.”

He did not elaborate aloud. Instead, to Eragon’s confusion, he stood and lifted his hand. Saphira watched him carefully before allowing him to touch her face. She snorted and pulled back, but Brom’s lips were moving rapidly and eventually, the color of her emotions was soothed back to calm blue. 

After a suspended moment, she looked away. Carefully, she lowered her snout to rest on Toothless’ flank and closed her eyes, the clearing falling silent as if the air itself held its breath. The hair on the back of his neck rose with electricity and Eragon blinked, his palm heating ever so slightly. _ What…?  _ It glowed before his widened eyes, pulsing in time with his heart.

_ Saphira? _

Eragon did not receive a reply, but his inquiry was forgotten as Saphira began to rumble so deep that he could feel its tremor through the ground and into his bones. 

Hiccup gasped, eyes glistening as Toothless’ scales rippled, a flash of purple iridescence shining from beneath them, scintillating off the surrounding trees before fading to onyx once again. A moment passed, then two, and to Eragon’s awe and great relief, Toothless took a deep breath and opened his emerald eyes.

_ “Toothless?”  _ Hiccup called, quiet as if he dared not hope that this was real. But Toothless did not fall back into unconsciousness, sitting up slowly and stretching his wings like a pleased feline. Toothless shook his head and turned to Hiccup’s shocked face, tongue flicking out once between his curiously retracted teeth.  _ “Toothless!”  _

Laughter filled the clearing as Toothless pounced on his rider, licking his face to Hiccup’s vociferous complaints. Yet the older rider looked nothing but joyous as he playfully pushed Toothless away, his refined features bright with relief and obvious love. Eragon couldn’t help but smile at their bond, tinged with none of the unfamiliarity and cautiousness of Eragon and Saphira’s. Clearly these two had been through much. 

_ Saphira, what did you do,  _ he asked reverently, placing his hand on her flank. His mark bumped against her scales, cool once more.

_ I do not know, _ she answered, but she didn’t seem bothered by the fact, as content as he to watch Toothless and Hiccup play.  _ I just knew I could. _

Eragon didn’t know what to say to that, just allowing his awe and love to suffuse their bond. It occurred to him for perhaps the hundredth time how little he knew about his dragon.

_ His dragon... _

Brom hummed in satisfaction and stepped to Eragon’s side. His voice was serious when he said, “You know we can’t stay here.” 

Eragon’s face fell and Saphira’s head swung around sharply. “What do you mean?” Eragon stated flatly, a numbness crawling up his spine.

“I am not the only one in Carvahall who has grown suspicious of your actions. I confronted you yesterday because there are strangers in town asking questions about a stone much like the one you brought back from the Spine.” 

Eragon watched Toothless and Hiccup’s play without seeing. “No one would talk.” Carvahall’s people were many things, but they did not betray their own to strangers. There was a deep-seated mistrust of the Empire within the small farming village and a hard-earned wariness of strangers.

But it also meant that the unusual did not pass without notice. For probably the fifth time, Eragon cursed his decision to bring Saphira’s egg to town, drawing more attention to himself than he’d known to fear. If one knew the right people to ask, they would easily find Eragon. 

“I can name a few who would,” Brom countered. Eragon swallowed thickly.

_ You knew we could not hide forever, _ Saphira said softly and Eragon shook his head in denial. He hadn’t known  _ what _ he thought, but leaving Carvahall? His home?

“Who are these strangers?” 

“That, I don’t know,” Brom said gravely, “but I know their kind. If you remain it will likely put your family in danger.” 

Eragon’s jaw clenched, considering this. “Would our leaving guarantee they won’t go after Garrow?” 

“...No. But it might. If you remain and by some happenstance, they do not find you this time, others will come.”

“What do you mean ‘we’,” Eragon said eventually, setting aside his dark thoughts for the moment. 

“I’m coming with you, of course,” Brom answered easily, pulling on his pipe that was so intrinsically a part of the man’s character in Eragon’s eyes that he hadn’t noticed the old man light it. “I am a storyteller and I happen to think you make an excellent story. What’s more,” he looked at Eragon seriously, “I can train you.” 

Eragon’s brows rose in disbelief. “First you claim you’re only a storyteller and now you are a trainer of riders? Enough with the evasions. Who are you really?” For the first time, it occurred to Eragon that he did not know this man at all. 

“That is something I will keep to myself for now. Will you accept my offer? Either way, you’ll need to leave Carvahall.” 

Silence fell between them as Eragon contemplated.  _ What do you think, Saphira? _

_ I think this man speaks wisely, _ she said, to Eragon’s surprise.

_ Just a moment ago you distrusted him. What did he say to you that changed your mind? _

Saphira didn’t answer right away and Eragon narrowed his eyes.  _ He told me I could heal Toothless. He was correct. Eragon, this man knows more than he says and we need that knowledge. Without him, Toothless may have died and we may have fallen prey to these strangers. _

_ His warning was...helpful. But that doesn’t mean we need him to train us. Hiccup can train us. _

She leveled him with a look.  _ Hiccup does not speak our language, Eragon. We do not even know if he is willing to teach us, much less travel with us while we are being hunted. _

Panic gripped Eragon at the thought, startling him with its strength. That had not occurred to him.  _ He can’t leave! We’ve only just met! I have so much I need to ask him. _

Eragon’s gaze met Hiccup’s unexpectedly. While Saphira and Eragon had been arguing, the other had clearly been watching and Eragon found himself pinned beneath Hiccup’s gaze. Not knowing what else to do, Eragon turned his back and paced into the forest, emotions boiling uncomfortably in his throat. Saphira let him go without comment, but he could feel her displeasure in the back of his mind like a stifling blanket until that too faded away.

His thoughts were a tangled web, too much information thrown at him at once. When he’d found Hiccup, he’d held the foolish hope that he would stay. That Eragon had finally met someone like  _ him, _ who understood what it was like to be bonded with a dragon. Hiccup’s arrival had been a monumental weight from Eragon’s shoulders because he was proof that Eragon  _ wasn’t alone,  _ the isolation and pressures he’d been smothered with since Saphira’s hatching finally lifted enough for him to  _ breathe _ . He’d thought, now that another rider was here, that everything might be okay.

But Saphira had a valid point. He couldn’t communicate with the other boy. For all he knew, Hiccup had only landed in Alagaesia because he was forced to. There was nothing keeping him here and Eragon acknowledged with no small amount of panic that he could leave at this very moment and there would be nothing Eragon could do to stop him. 

On top of that, he was faced with looming proof on all sides that he could not remain in Carvahall. All those years growing up, Eragon would have given anything for an adventure to come his way, to prove that he was more than just a simple farm boy. That there was more to this life than the changing seasons...But not like this. Not with Galbatorix’s men threatening his family, forcing him to flee or risk falling into the king’s hands.

Which brought to mind Brom’s offer. Eragon...wasn’t certain he trusted the man. Not after everything he’d discovered. 

But Saphira did. Maybe that was enough. 

Eragon paused on an outcropping protruding from the trees, Palancar Valley spreading out before him in the growing twilight. Smoke drifted from the chimneys of the small collection of brown houses clustered in the valley’s embrace, windows already lighting with candles and tiny figures moving between them as families settled in for the night. It looked so small to Eragon. Yet, this valley was his entire world.

Did he have the courage to leave it? Even if it meant he’d never see his family again?

At least they’d be alive, he thought, maudlin. What choice did he really have? He couldn’t risk his family. He couldn’t risk Saphira. He kicked a stone over the cliff, watching bitterly as it clattered out of sight in the growing gloom.

No matter how he wanted to deny it, his choice was inescapably clear.

Camp was as Eragon left it, though brighter now that Toothless had awoken, the memory of his illness banished by the reassuring life in the dragon’s emerald eyes. Toothless was restored completely it seemed, his wide maw closed around the carcass of the deer Saphira had brought them that morning and eating with all the enthusiasm of one who hadn’t been able to for over a week. Eragon was glad to see it and could sense Saphira’s smug pleasure at Toothless’ enjoyment, a similar pride she exhibited when providing for Eragon. Eragon wondered at it, if her pride in providing for others was just a facet of her personality or if she already thought of Hiccup and Toothless as kin.

It appeared Hiccup had been busy. To Eragon’s dismay, Hiccup had gathered his pack and supplies, eyeing a few broken pieces of metal that Eragon hadn’t known the use of. It looked like he was already preparing to leave. 

When Eragon stepped into the light, Hiccup brightened, beckoning him over. Eragon avoided Saphira’s eyes as he crouched next to his new friend, softening despite himself as Hiccup gestured enthusiastically to the bits of metal that Eragon had carefully collected from the site of their crash. Eragon indulged him and looked, but couldn’t make heads or tails of the thin strips of metal any more than when he’d first seen them. 

Clapping his hands, Hiccup’s eyes lit with an idea, startling Eragon into a genuine smile. It was such a stark contrast from the gaunt features of the boy he’d found, so close to death and grief-stricken over his dragon. The crooked smile that Eragon had only seen glimpses of since they’d met was now painted across Hiccup’s face like a splash of sunlight, reminding Eragon that even if Hiccup decided to leave, he couldn’t regret meeting him.

Even if his departure would leave Eragon more adrift than he ever was before.

Oblivious to Eragon’s turmoil, Hiccup leapt to his feet and brought back a book, laying it next to the fire for Eragon to see. 

Curious, Eragon examined the page. It was… a drawing of Toothless’ tail, quick lines etched in charcoal, a piece of it detached and littered with runes. Eragon tilted his head when Hiccup gestured again and spoke quickly. 

His eyes widened, looking at the real Toothless’ tail and back to Hiccup’s compelling eyes. He’d noticed the strange contraption strapped to the dragon’s tail before, but until now didn’t know it’s purpose. “You...use this to help Toothless fly?” He flapped his arms comically, not sure how else to describe it, and Hiccup quirked a crooked smile, nodding. Then he began to mime striking a blow against his leg, fist clenched around an imaginary handle. 

“You need a forge,” Eragon surmised, then frowned. That...might be a problem. There was one in town of course, but Horst, Carvahall’s blacksmith, wasn’t just going to let this stranger use it. They would have to go at night when everyone was asleep.

“What is it?” Brom asked, watching the exchange with bemusement. 

“Toothless has a fake tail...fin? Wing?” Eragon explained, not sure what to call the sail-like contraption. “I don’t know how he got injured,” his eyes flickered to Hiccup’s false foot and away, “but it looks like he can’t fly without Hiccup’s device. He needs a forge to fix it before he can leave.” 

Brom nodded slowly. “I wouldn’t recommend going back into town.” 

“I need to go anyway,” Eragon protested. “You’re asking me to leave Carvahall forever. I’m not leaving without saying goodbye to Garrow.” There was the lingering fear that the strangers would still go after his family when they didn’t find their quarry. Roran, Eragon’s cousin, had already left for Thierinsford to find work, but Garrow would be defenseless and caught unawares. 

Brom ground his teeth into the stem of his pipe before putting it aside. “You would put him in more danger?” 

Frustration built in Eragon’s chest. “I’m not just going to abandon him without telling him why!”

_ Eragon. _

“No!” Eragon snapped aloud. “You don’t understand! He raised me, I can’t just abandon him!” 

Saphira was taken aback and Eragon instantly regretted his words.  _ Saphira, I… _

_ No. You are right. I don’t know what it’s like to have a parent. The closest I have is you.  _ Eragon’s eyes lowered, chastised.  _ But I will not allow you to risk your life and his just to fulfill a  _ **_courtesy_ ** _. It is a fool’s errand.  _

“Someone needs to warn him!” 

“We can leave a message for him with someone in town. But going to him now will only put him in more danger,” Brom said seriously. 

Eragon grit his teeth, but couldn’t refute their logic no matter how the thought of leaving Garrow unprotected sent panic shivering through him. “Fine. But we  _ will _ help Hiccup. I refuse to leave him and Toothless without flight only to fall prey to the same people we’re trying to flee.” 

He glared at Saphira, daring her to protest again. He would not be moved in this, no matter how bitter her disapproval. However, it was not bitterness that suffused him when he reached, but a determination to match his own. She too felt compelled to help their new companions. Bolstered by her agreement, Eragon faced Brom again. “You can travel with us. But first, we need to help Hiccup.” 

Brom gave him a long, hard look before nodding. “Agreed. We go tonight, and at dawn travel to the East.” 

Eragon swallowed and turned seriously to Hiccup, who watched the byplay silently, dark brows drawn in concern. Eragon placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll help you fix Toothless’ tail.” Then...then Eragon would let Hiccup go. 

But not before he asked him to stay one more time. Not before Eragon made sure Hiccup knew how much he needed him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I hope you enjoyed chapter 2 as much as I enjoyed writing it. I decided that this will definitely have romance, though how important to the plot it will be, I don't know yet. As always, I'm open to suggestions and adore hearing your thoughts <3 
> 
> Thanks to Charlie-chan for being an awesome beta and encouraging this mess. Their 'the World Ahead' will be updated tomorrow as well, so check it out!


	3. Chapter 3

Toothless bounded silently through the dark forest, only the whisper of brush denoting his passage. Hiccup lay crouched over his back, gloved hands braced soothingly against Toothless’ sides and iron mask protecting his face from stray branches. Brom clung to his waist, the old man choosing to ride with Toothless rather than Saphira for reasons he wouldn’t say. It didn’t matter to Hiccup either way; judging by the crashes following them it was for the best anyway. Saphira was not built for stealth, her bulk hindering her as she traveled through the brush. Why she didn’t just fly was beyond Hiccup, but perhaps she and Eragon hadn’t gotten the chance to fly together yet. It would explain the awkward way Eragon clung to her, white-knuckled and huddled against her back.

Hiccup turned his eyes forward, moving as sinuously as his partner. Toothless leaped off a cliff onto the trees below, bending a fir tree nearly in half as it bore them to the ground and unconcerned with the way it snapped back as they departed, already several bounds away. The village was coming into view now, dark and silent from what glimpses Hiccup could glean over the trees. Good. He had no desire to meet anyone from this small village, not with the tension he could sense coming from the others; as if its inhabitants might chase them with torches and weapons drawn. 

Judging by Brom’s reaction when they first met, Hiccup didn’t want to cause alarm, especially if it meant a fight. Toothless may have made a miraculous recovery through some strange magic of Saphira and Brom, but Hiccup was still exhausted from his own sickness and their travels, the long journey from the Archipelago weighing heavy on his shoulders. He would feel a lot better when they were able to repair Toothless’ tail and find a safe place to regain their strength for a while. 

Finally, they made it to the edge of the trees, only the bare foothills between them and the town. Brom bid them pause with a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, gesturing behind where Saphira and Eragon had yet to catch up. 

“How you doing, bud?” Hiccup whispered, petting Toothless’ side soothingly. Toothless flicked an ear but didn’t otherwise respond, watching the town warily. His shoulders shifted restlessly and Hiccup could feel his chest expanding as he inhaled, tasting the air. “What is it?” Hiccup scanned the town again, but other than a couple of candles still burning in the windows, there was no activity. 

Brom shifted and slipped from Toothless’ back, laying a hand reverently on his side in thanks before pinning Hiccup with a questioning brow.  _ “Something wrong?”  _

Hiccup pursed his lips, not taking his eyes from the village. “I don’t know,” he answered with a shake of his head. He gestured towards the dark houses and rubbed Toothless’ side, hoping that was answer enough for the unease he and Toothless shared. 

Brom seemed to think so, turning dark eyes to the village with a frown upon his already grim features. 

Eragon and Saphira took that moment to make an appearance, Saphira snaking carefully from the trees. Brom said something to Eragon as he dismounted, and though Eragon’s face pulled into a frown, he nodded in assent. Saphira, who was too large to pass the town unnoticed should someone happen to look outside, bowed her head and backed into the treeline to stay hidden until their business was complete. 

Eragon gave Hiccup a tight smile as he reached his side and Hiccup returned it with as much reassurance as he could. 

_ “I must leave you for a while,” _ Brom said, and Eragon looked at him sharply. 

_ “Where are you going?”  _ Eragon demanded, alarmed. 

_ “I have to take care of some things in my home before we can depart. There are letters I must write and items that I think we will need on our journey.” _ He looked at Eragon through grey lashes.  _ “I will also leave word for your uncle. Take Hiccup to the smithy and stay hidden. I will meet you in this spot in three hours.” _

Eragon’s look was rebellious, but he finally grunted in acknowledgment. Hiccup, not privy to the conversation, raised a brow as Brom left with feet light over the short winter grass and hood drawn to conceal his face. Eragon only shook his head at Hiccup’s questioning gaze, scowling and gesturing for the two of them to follow. It seemed their argument from earlier was not over, darkening Eragon’s mood.

“Going to have our hands full with those two, I think,” Hiccup said to himself, smiling faintly as Toothless grunted in agreement at the wry tone of his voice. “Eragon,” Hiccup called softly, and the boy paused in his irate stride. Holding out a hand, Hiccup offered to let him ride as well. The village was still miles away and they didn't have much time before the light of dawn to accomplish what they came for. Eragon seemed surprised at the offered hand, but didn't refuse it, yelping as Hiccup yanked him up with a heave. Toothless shuffled in place as Eragon got comfortable, clearly unsure where to put his hands. Rolling his eyes, Hiccup was abruptly reminded of the first time he’d taken Astrid on a flight. The memory brought both amusement and melancholy, so Hiccup deliberately did not linger on it, instead taking Eragon’s hands in his own and wrapping them around his waist. “C’mon bud, lets go,” he said instead of giving too much thought to the way the boy stuttered nervously. He really was new to all this, but Hiccup couldn’t spare him much sympathy when he was already so full of dread over all the things that might go wrong in this foreign place. 

Toothless shot off into the night and Eragon yelped again, burying the sound into the back of Hiccup’s shirt. Hiccup chuckled a little, nudging him for directions. Eragon managed to guide them to a small house a little farther from the others, standing upon a small hill with the land cleared around it. 

Hiccup and Eragon dismounted, the latter doing so somewhat stiffly, and Hiccup took a cursory look around. 

The smithy’s many windows were opened to the night air and, to Hiccup’s relief, the tools that lined the walls and the anvils that sat solidly around the forge were familiar to him, if shaped just a little bit differently. It was not so different from Gobber’s forge back home and Hiccup hummed, pleased that he wouldn’t have to learn new equipment on top of everything else. 

Toothless already knew what to do, slinking inside and sitting patiently by the forge, ready to light it. He was no boulder-class dragon, but luckily Hiccup didn’t need to cast anything; the pieces just needed welding and reshaping, the gronckle iron still sound as long as he was careful. Hiccup was grateful Eragon managed to find all of the pieces. With a gesture, Hiccup directed Eragon to shutter the windows so that they could work unnoticed. It would make the quality of the air less than ideal, but Hiccup was used to the discomfort after so long in his youth hiding his creations from his father. 

Eragon watched in fascination as Toothless lit the forge with his violet flames, Hiccup quickly working the bellows until it glowed white-hot and the room became toasty. Hiccup got to work. 

Piece by piece, Toothless’ tail came together, Hiccup letting his mind drift as he was lost within the pounding of hammer strokes, the warm grip of the well-worn handle in his calloused hand, the give and take of metal made soft and malleable in Brokkr’s fires. Sweat dripped down his face and neck, dampening his leathers as he lost himself in the mindless task. 

He wondered where he and Toothless would go from here. Once Toothless regained his flight, he supposed they could go wherever they pleased. 

The problem was, Hiccup had no more idea about where he wanted to go than he had before they’d crash-landed in this strange land, their aimless wandering coming to a violent end. All he knew was that he could not go back the way he’d come. Hiccup glanced at Eragon who stood with his back to the wall, peering carefully into the night through a crack in the window. Did Eragon want him to stay? 

Hiccup scowled at the ball socket he was shaping. Of course he did. The young man hadn’t looked at him with those pleading brown eyes for over a week because he thought Hiccup was  _ pretty _ . He needed something from him, Hiccup just wasn’t sure what. Perhaps it had something to do with the hunted look in his eyes and the mysterious fear from Saphira’s memories. Perhaps his family and home did not approve of dragons yet, as Hiccup’s hadn’t in the beginning. 

Hiccup again cursed his inability to speak with them. All he knew was that Eragon and Saphira had saved his and Toothless’ lives, and he owed them a debt infinitely stronger than any vague plans of returning to his lonely exile. More than that, Hiccup had come to like the young rider and dragon and would not see them hurt when he could have done something to help. 

And perhaps he was a little, tiny bit fascinated by his new companions. Eragon and Saphira’s connection was something truly special and Hiccup felt his curiosity flare sharply, rusted by grief and loneliness as it was, at the thought of discovering their secrets. He would just have to find a way to prove that he could provide them with an equivalent exchange. They would not be the first hopeless dragon and rider he’d had to train, and despite all that he’d been through–how it hurt to consider training yet another pair who might die in battle or worse–he found himself looking forward to it. 

Decided, Hiccup pulled back from the anvil with satisfaction, eyeing the ball and socket critically before turning to his partner. “All done! Hold still for me, Toothless.” 

Toothless’ tongue lolled out, excited at the prospect of flying that had been so long denied them– _ fly? _ He rumbled,  _ fly now? _ – and raised his wings obligingly so Hiccup could reach his harness. Hiccup laughed under his breath, giving Toothless a good scratch before slipping the metal in place with a satisfying click. Wiggling the pedal, Hiccup checked that the tail was moving accordingly. Satisfied with the completed contraption, Hiccup patted Toothless’ side. “What do you think, bud? Should we stay with Eragon and Saphira for a while? Would you like that?” 

Toothless, who’d been waving his newly refurbished tail this way and that in excitement, tilted his head at Hiccup’s wistful tone. With a slight smile, Hiccup grunted low and shifted imaginary wings, their shared word for  _ training,  _ and jerked his chin toward Eragon. 

_ Training? Hatchlings? _ Toothless asked, and Hiccup couldn’t help but notice the way he lit up at the prospect. He smiled sadly. Toothless still did not entirely understand why Hiccup had left the village and their flock behind. He wished he could explain it better, but the subtleties of human grief escaped Toothless just as surely as Toothless’ dragon ways sometimes defied Hiccup’s understanding. For all that they were a match of the other’s soul, they couldn’t always convey their feelings as easily as they wanted to.

“Eragon’s not a hatchling,” Hiccup laughed lightly. No, he was no younger than Hiccup had been when he’d first shot Toothless from the sky, and Hiccup had been through more battles and loss than any man should in the few years since. Already Eragon matched Hiccup in size and he had no doubt that he would become much broader than him in no time. He was on the cusp of manhood even if his eyes still shone bright with childish fascination and innocence. 

Toothless’ eyelids drooped in skepticism.  _ Hatchling, _ he disagreed, and Hiccup conceded the point, huffing fondly.

Well, that answered that. They would stay as long as they were needed. 

When Hiccup looked up, he met the gaze of a silent Eragon, the boy watching him beneath dark lashes as he’d been chatting with Toothless. Hiccup smiled warmly, though Eragon was only able to give him a weak twitch of his lips in reply. Brushing his blackened hands off on his pants, Hiccup stood. “All done here,” he declared. 

Eragon’s small smile fell, his eyes dropping to the floor. Hiccup frowned as he watched the younger man’s jaw clench. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently, stepping forward until he could properly see Eragon’s face. To his alarm, Eragon’s warm brown eyes glimmered with moisture even though he shook his head against Hiccup’s concern. Standing from the wall, Eragon forcefully looked away, gazing longingly at the shuttered window as though he could see through it to the town beyond.  _ “We should go,” _ he mumbled in that somewhat lyrical language he spoke, drawled where Hiccup’s words were abrupt. 

Hiccup didn’t understand the source of Eragon’s distress. He took another step forward, resting a hand on Eragon’s shoulder. It left a black smudge on his jerkin. Neither noticed. Eragon started slightly but relaxed quickly enough. Sniffing and rubbing his eyes roughly, Eragon shook his head again.  _ “Forget it, it’s nothing. I just...” _ He looked up abruptly, teeth grit in determination and Hiccup leaned away, surprised. Eragon rested his hand over Hiccup’s, digits cool against the heat of Hiccup’s recent exertions. _ “Stay,” _ he said simply, pleading with his tone and eyes.  _ “Stay with me. I need you.  _ We _ need you. _ ”

Hiccup tightened his grip. “I don’t understand,” he said forlornly, and Eragon’s lips pinched with helpless frustration. 

Toothless’ loud, ripping growl tore them apart, Hiccup turning away to face his alarmed companion. “Toothless? What–” 

_ Enemies, _ Toothless snarled, pupils narrowed to fine slits and claws digging into the dirt floor with grating scratches. Taking his word for it, Hiccup drew his sword and extended it, racing to the forge to bank the fires with a heavy iron door.

_ Dragons? _ Hiccup growled. 

Toothless flicked his ear.  _ Predators, _ he said, but either couldn’t or wouldn’t elaborate despite Hiccup’s questioning croons. 

_ “What is it?” _ Eragon demanded, voice hushed and tight with alarm. 

Hiccup glanced at Eragon and cast about for something he could use to defend himself with. Hefting an iron poker, Hiccup pressed it into Eragon’s hands, answering in the harsh vowels of a dragon in his haste. Eragon’s eyes widened, but he didn’t protest much when Hiccup shoved him behind and cracked open the door, peering out into the dark. 

It was still before dawn but the sky was already greying with early morning light. They needed to be away, and soon, before the villagers started to wake up. Hiccup couldn’t see the threat Toothless sensed but did not doubt his instincts. Toothless wouldn’t be alarmed if it was just humans moving about; something had spooked him, and if it wasn’t dragons…

What predators hunted a dragon? 

Eragon was chattering nervously at Hiccup’s shoulder, but he didn’t pay him any attention, making a questioning gesture at Toothless.  _ Where? _

Toothless shifted restlessly, looking back and forth and breathing deeply. He warbled, fire glowing in the back of his throat and along his extended spines. He didn’t know. 

With a quick prayer to Thor for strength, Hiccup took a deep breath and slithered out the door, holding it open for Eragon and Toothless to follow. Still, he saw nothing, but toothless’ agitation only grew worse. “Get on Toothless,” Hiccup said tightly, scanning the dark paths between buildings. 

_ “What?” _ Eragon said, not understanding a word, voice laced with frustration and no small amount of fear. Hiccup cursed under his breath and grabbed Eragon by the front of the shirt, shoving the boy to Toothless and ignoring his startled protests.  _ Take him,  _ he said, but Toothless didn’t have time to respond.

_ Above!  _ Toothless yelped, and Hiccup shouted as a great, black thing leaped from the top of the smithy, landing in the middle of them. Toothless roared and flared his wings, the time for stealth long past as the creature dared stand between him and his partner.

“Toothless!” Hiccup cried, but only had a moment to take in the stranger’s scent of rot and decay, to peer into its glowing red eyes beneath a filthy cloak of black, to shudder at its shoulders hunched unnaturally like an animal feigning humanity. Then it was upon him. 

Hiccup threw himself back, scrambling away as the creature leaped impossibly quick, clashing against his sword with strange clicking hiss. It was too fast, however, and easily bore him to the ground. Hiccup gasped as he got a good look at the stranger's face. It was the stuff of nightmares with skin grey and gaunt, pulled over a nauseatingly distended skull like old, tortured leather. In place of a mouth was a protrusion of bone like the beak of a carrion crow, wide open and filled with razor teeth, spewing the scent of rotting flesh so strong into Hiccup’s face that he could scarcely draw breath. But worst of all were the eyes; black and fathomless as the deepest cave where Vikings dared not venture for fear of the pull of Helheim, gleaming with malice and an unearthly glee. 

_ “You aaaare minnne,” _ the creature hissed directly into Hiccup’s mind in a tongue no man would be able to utter. Hiccup cried out in terror, for the first time in this strange land understanding what was being said and fiercely wishing he hadn’t. Was this Eragon and Saphira’s nameless fear? Had they  _ known _ it was hunting them? Hiccup shook as the thing’s fetid breath washed over him, immobilizing him with terror and some paralytic he didn’t know, its beak opening impossibly, repulsively wide.

Toothless’ roar was the only thing that saved Hiccup from needle teeth. The creature jerked away, momentarily distracted. Still, he couldn’t move as its long, spindly fingers dug cruelly into his skin, breaking it with merciless claws despite his leathers. Beyond it, Hiccup could see with dismay that his captor wasn’t alone. Another of its kind held an ill-kept, ragged sword to Hiccup’s partner, its cloak snapping menacingly as it easily kept pace. Eragon stood behind Toothless’ livid form, crying out to the sky for Saphira and holding his poker aloft uselessly in a trembling grip. 

Toothless slashed and snarled, but had just as much trouble with the creature’s speed as Hiccup had, trying to reach Hiccup’s side but wary of the blade and foul hisses that sunk under the skin like poison. He drew in a howling breath, stoking the fires in his belly to unleash on their enemies, but couldn’t get a clear shot in the wake of the creature’s dizzying, unnatural movements.  _ Hiccup! _ Toothless roared. Without Hiccup, Toothless couldn’t fly and they were outmatched on the ground. 

The village was waking swiftly at the commotion, men and women stumbling from their houses and letting out gasps and cries of shock. In the distance, Saphira roared, on her way to help, but she would not reach them in time, not before one of them died by these foul demon’s hands. Somewhere a woman screamed, the menfolk racing and shouting to find what weapons they could. Someone shouted Eragon’s name. 

Hiccup’s captor hissed in fury. “Ressssstrain it!” it snarled to its companion. Hiccup struggled anew as it ripped the sword from his hands, but could do nothing as the bird-like creature lifted him from the ground and threw him over a sharp shoulder as easily as a father would a small child. To Hiccup’s dismay, it started to run out of the town in great loping strides as if its legs were jointed as a rabbit’s. 

“Toothless!” Hiccup wheezed, unarmed and scarcely able to breathe in its powerful grip. He watched with growing horror as Eragon and Toothless were helpless to follow, becoming surrounded by villagers with makeshift weapons unable to tell friend from foe. Eragon was screaming almost as loudly as Toothless, pleading with the people around him to help Hiccup, but no help was coming. Above the crowd the other creature leapt into the air to the astonished shouts of the villagers, escaping them and racing after its counterpart. Saphira roared again, closer this time but still too far away.

Hiccup struggled and heaved, scrambling for his knife he kept against his upper arm for tinkering and repairs in the field. Grabbing hold of it, he lifted it as high as he could before slamming it into the creature's side, the blade piercing its hard skin with a sickening  _ crunch _ . Screeching, the creature threw Hiccup to the ground, Hiccup barely feeling the bone-breaking impact as he scrambled upright and staggered back toward Toothless. He didn’t make it far before he was forced back into the dirt with an impossibly heavy blow. 

_ “Yyyyou will regret that,” _ a fetid voice slithered in his ear, and Hiccup clenched his eyes as cloying moisture warmed his frigid face. His heart thrummed so hard in his chest it felt like it would batter through his ribcage, beaten and helpless beneath the creature's boot. He gasped as cruel fingers wrapped around his throat, cutting off his next exhale. Spots danced before his eyes and the rushing of his blood was all he could hear. Helplessly, he watched as Toothless finally made it through the throng of scattered villagers, Eragon on his back and looking terrified but determined, but his vision was blocked by the second creature that reached for him with clawed hands. Hiccup could see death in the gleam of its unnatural eye and the way the world darkened to black and decay, his heart a fluttering bird in his chest. 

“Tooth...less…” he garbled, struggling to stay awake, but drowned in despair at the knowledge that his friends weren’t close enough to save him. He had a fleeting, comforting thought that he might reach the halls of Valhalla to see his father again. But this death was far from glorious and Hiccup had always known that his feeble form and cowardice would keep him from Odin’s Gates. Clearly these foul creatures were here to drag him to Hel for his sins. The world went dark…

...

..

.

The creature let go with an unearthly shriek and air rushed back into Hiccup’s burning lungs. Hiccup coughed roughly, spittle dripping into the dirt as blood rushed to his head and oxygen returned to his lungs. He looked up with glazed eyes he’d never expected to open again to take in the impossible sight before him. 

Like a hero from legend, Brom had returned. Racing from the dark shadows between the houses with more grace and power than a man his age had any right to possess, he threw a knife with all his might, impaling the creature holding Hiccup down right in its misshapen shoulder. It scrambled off of him, now stabbed twice and hopefully mortally wounded, head whipping bird-like from side to side. With the full force of the village, two dragons nearly upon them and Brom’s heroic figure, the creatures had no choice but to flee. 

With a furious hiss, the two enemies leaped away from the bite of Brom’s sword, the older man stopping to stand fiercely over Hiccup’s shaking form. 

_ “You cannot esssscape usssss, rrrider!” _ they cried as one before turning and withdrawing into the night from whence they came. 

Hiccup coughed and shuddered, but he had no time to rest.  _ “We must leave,” _ Brom said urgently, dragging him to his feet. Saphira finally landed with an earth-shattering roar and the villager’s staggered back with terror, allowing Eragon and Toothless to reach them.  _ “Now!” _ He threw Hiccup’s slighter form onto his dragon and leaped onto Saphira himself. Eragon struggled to help Hiccup upright, but once he’d managed to gain his seat, Hiccup jammed his false foot into Toothless’ stirrup. Toothless wasted no time, surging into a loping run and launching into the sky with a powerful leap. 

Eragon gripped Hiccup and cried out, burying his face into his shoulder blades, but Hiccup could do nothing to reassure him, only enough energy to make sure that Saphira was following with Brom astride her before he concentrated on Toothless’ strained movements. 

From the shrinking village people came an aggrieved cry of rage and fear.  _ “Eragon!”  _

Eragon lurched upright, looking wildly behind, but though he strained, he could not find the source of the shout. 

They disappeared into the grey dawn, leaving Carvahall and their pursuers behind. 

* * *

The second Toothless landed in their camp, Hiccup’s feet hit the ground in a muffled staccato of damp earth. Heart still hammering in his throat, he couldn’t force his limbs to stop shaking, lurching into a frantic pace as his eyes passed sightlessly over the ground. 

What was that?  _ What was that? _ What manner of foul creatures stalked these people? What had they  _ done _ to incur their wrath? The demon’s words writhed in Hiccup’s skull like worms through rotted flesh, still claiming ownership of him even miles away. He’d been cursed, he just knew it, oh Thor, why had he come to this wretched place? 

Hiccup staggered and heaved, bile rising at the memory of the creatures’ awful stench, his skin burning where cruel claws had pierced armor. Cursed undead of Helheim’s gates! Never in his life had he encountered something so foul and  _ unnatural.  _ Not even Drago, the worst evil Hiccup had to face yet, could inspire as much fear as the predators that held Hiccup in their terrible grips. He had never felt more like _ prey. _

He knew instinctively what the difference was; a mortal man or dragon, no matter how evil or misguided, could only destroy his body. Those _ creatures _ –it had felt as if they could suck the very soul from him. 

A hand landed on Hiccup’s shoulder, halting his frantic steps. He jerked away with a startled shout, vision filled with cruel beady eyes and the moist places of the earth best left undisturbed. But it was only Eragon, the boy just as pale and shaken as Hiccup. Hiccup could see the whites of his eyes as he trembled, reaching out for Hiccup with elusive, meaningless words. 

Suddenly Hiccup’s lingering terror whipped into white-hot anger. “What have you  _ done?  _ What horrible form of Draugr have you summoned, _ you idiot!? _ ” He grabbed Eragon’s shoulders. Eragon flinched, startled as Hiccup shouted into his face. 

Saphira landed with a ground-shaking crash, roaring in Eragon’s defense. Toothless responded in kind, leaping between her and his rider with raised wings and a challenging snarl. The tension ratcheted up a notch, the four a tempest of fear and anger. Hiccup dug his fingers into Eragon’s shoulders all the tighter, barely resisting the urge to lash out. 

_ “Calm down!” _ Brom ordered over the din, leaping from Saphira’s back and striding furiously to where Eragon and Hiccup grappled. With a heave, he tore Hiccup from the younger man, throwing him on his back in the dirt. 

The breath wooshed from his lungs harshly, but Hiccup was on his feet a split second later to resume his frantic pacing. Eragon stumbled away, joining Saphira’s side as Toothless subsided. Toothless crooned softly at Hiccup, slinking low to the ground to try and calm him with wide eyes. When that didn’t work, he chuffed loudly and snatched Hiccup by the back of his shirt, throwing him right back down and sitting on him resolutely. Hiccup struggled for several moments, breaths coming quick and harsh. But it was no use, and eventually, he was forced to calm. 

He came back to his senses, the words of the cursed creature fading into memory along with the sharp pinch of pain he couldn’t define. “Toothless?” he said breathlessly, and Toothless snuffled happily, licking him in the face. “Aw, Toothless, bud, that’s going to take forever to get out!” Hiccup complained weakly. Toothless merely ruffled his wings, the insufferable dragon. 

_ “Hiccup?” _ Eragon called, and Hiccup flinched, looking at the younger boy with regret. 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, heart sinking like a stone at the cautious way Eragon regarded him. “I didn’t mean to take out my fear on you.” He sighed, rubbing at his face roughly. “I need a way to communicate with you guys. This isn't working.” There was just no way for Hiccup to find out what the Hel was going on and he’d nearly gotten Eragon  _ killed _ because he hadn’t been able to direct him in battle. He couldn't even apologize properly! 

Frustration bubbled in his chest as Eragon and Brom exchanged words, gesturing and speaking about him as if he wasn’t even there. Hiccup looked pleadingly at Saphira, who watched him steadily. She, at least, had calmed. “Isn't there something you can do?” He pleaded aloud. With no answer forthcoming, he closed his eyes, trying to reach out to her like she’d done to him before. But all he could do was grope in the dark. Whatever innate ability she possessed that allowed her to see into his mind, he lacked. He gave up, his head falling against the earth with a thump. 

Toothless warbled his concern, but Hiccup couldn’t find the words to answer, and suddenly it was more than he could bear. A bottomless chasm of loneliness blurred his eyes, the hopelessness of the situation hardening into a lump in the back of his throat.  _ Dammit! _ Wasn’t there a  _ single being _ in this godsforsaken land that he could talk to? Or was he just supposed to draw pictures in the dirt for the rest of his life? It would take  _ months _ to learn an entirely new language to any degree of proficiency, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. 

When was the last time he’d been able to share his thoughts with someone who understood him? They’d been traveling for months in their exile without meeting another soul, and before that, months in which Hiccup couldn't bring himself to speak at all for the grief that tore him apart. And now, so far away from home, he felt utterly alone. Toothless was his everything–the other half of Hiccup’s  _ soul _ – but they couldn’t hold a conversation in so many words, the differences between them still a barrier Hiccup couldn’t overcome no matter how longingly he reached.

Tears of frustration welled in Hiccup’s eyes, helplessness dragging them closed. With a gentle shove, he nudged Toothless from him so he could sit up, taking a deep breath so he could attempt to hold himself together. Wallowing in despair would get him nowhere, he knew that. But exhausted and in pain, he could do little else but ride the storm until it subsided, leaving yet more wreckage behind.

A heavy hand fell onto his shoulder, reminding Hiccup of his audience. Hiccup hung his head, not really wanting to face Brom’s sympathetic expression. But the fingers tightened, forcing him to look into the old man’s eyes.  _ “I can help you learn our language,” _ he said slowly, as if that would somehow make him easier to understand. Hiccup shook his head, recalcitrant. Brom looked to Saphira. 

The soft buzzing of her presence drifted through Hiccup’s mind and he gasped, closing his eyes to meet her. Immediately, a jumble of images and impressions crowded Hiccup’s thoughts, the man trying to convey to her what words just couldn't say. A soothing blue washed over him like the hush of a gentle wind, and Hiccup relaxed, his frantic thoughts slowing so that he could receive her message. 

_ The memory of the moment Saphira healed Toothless–the bright light that came from both of them.  _

_ The flash of Hiccup’s face as he looked up at her in wonder, touching his lips. _

_ Then one of Hiccup’s own memories, Eragon lifting his hand to show Hiccup his mark. Only this time it was different, glowing with the same power that Saphira used before. _

_ And finally, a hazy imagining of Brom holding his palm over Hiccup’s temple. The same glow again. _

Hiccup opened his eyes. “He can use magic on me? So I can speak your language?” He touched his lips in the same way he’d done before in her memory, and she rumbled in answer. Hiccup looked to Brom with wide eyes. A man who can use magic! What  _ was _ he? Not even Gothi, the village shaman who was said to commune with the  _ Gods _ , could perform such a miracle. 

_ “Does he understand?” _ Brom said, and Saphira lowered her angular head. Brom nodded and looked to Hiccup seriously, placing a dry palm against his forehead.  _ “Are you ready?” _

Hiccup may not have understood the words, but there was no mistaking the expression on Brom’s face. This wasn’t something to take lightly. Hiccup glanced at Eragon, the boy watching the byplay with confusion and concern. Hiccup pursed his lips in determination. He had to. He  _ longed _ to. “Do it.” 

Brom nodded grimly. With a certain air of ceremony, he closed his eyes...and began to speak. Words flowed through the air like water, the cadence of yet another language Hiccup did not know, smooth and lilting. If Eragon’s language was poetry, then this was  _ music _ . Hiccup’s eyes glazed over, his body rocking with the melodies of some forgotten song. The syllables drifted through his thoughts just as the creature’s had, but this was no curse that pierced his mind with malice. No, it was as if Brom spoke in the soothing tones of a most trusted friend, one he’d known from hearth and bossom. Yet Hiccup had never heard its like before.

As the last note fell silent in the air, darkness encroached on Hiccup’s vision, deep-seated exhaustion overcoming his limbs. The morning light faded from view and Hiccup caught a flash of silver. 

The last thing he saw was Eragon’s wide, disbelieving eyes. He smiled as he fell asleep.

* * *

Eragon inhaled sharply when Hiccup collapsed in Brom’s arms. Toothless crooned as the older man laid Hiccup against his black scales, wrapping his wings around him protectively. If not for his peaceful expression, Eragon would be more alarmed to see him unconscious yet again. It seemed that he’d spent more time with Hiccup asleep than awake in their short acquaintance. Still, he could be nothing but grateful that whatever Brom had done had eased the despair in his friend’s face. It had scared Eragon to see Hiccup that way; as if the world rested upon him and he had no more strength to bear its great weight.

“What did you do?” Eragon whispered as if the silence after the mysterious language Brom had spoken left no room in the air. 

“I made it so Hiccup will be able to speak with us,” Brom said gruffly, voice cracking with exhaustion. The old man stooped where he sat, breathing hard. He grimaced, rubbing his stubbled jaw. “Dammit. That took more out of both of us than I thought it would…Nothing for it. We’ll have to find a place to rest for a while.”

Eragon was having a hard time keeping up, still dazzled by the light and power Brom had just conjured from nowhere. But his thoughts were interrupted by his pack shoved into his hands, Brom swiftly gathering the rest of their gear. “What was that language you just spoke? Are you a magician?” 

“Not now, boy! We need to be well away while there is daylight! When the sun falls, the hunt will begin.” 

“I don’t understand,” Eragon despaired, but moved to gather his gear regardless. “What were those things?”

Brom cursed, exhausted fingers fumbling with the ties to his pack. He ignored Eragon’s questions, to the young man’s growing irritation. “We must get deeper into the Spine. Saphira, can you scout the land for a cave or shelter? Something defensible.” 

_ I can, _ Saphira answered. To Eragon, she said,  _ Come with me. I will not leave you again while those creatures are near. _

Eragon took an involuntary step back, a stab of fear crowding his lungs. He swallowed it down with some difficulty.  _ No. Go without me. I’m sure you’ll be faster without me weighing you down. _

Saphira rumbled in discontent, and it was a testament to the urgency of their situation that she did not pursue his evasion further.  _ Very well. But we  _ **_will_ ** _ speak of this, little one. You cannot avoid the sky forever! _ She crouched and leapt into the air with a mighty sweep of her wings. Eragon shuddered as he watched her shrink from view, the terrifying memory of flying upon Toothless’ back still prevalent in his mind. He hadn’t been able to lift his eyes, hiding against Hiccup’s shoulders like a child in his mother’s skirts. He dreaded the moment he would have to mount again.

“Help me with this, boy.” 

Eragon snapped back to the moment at hand to assist Brom in arranging Hiccup’s unconscious form onto Toothless’ saddle. Fumbling with the unfamiliar straps, he secured Hiccup’s legs so the lolling man would not fall. Toothless rumbled a deep growl, and though Eragon’s fingers froze, it only took a glance at his large soulful eyes to see that he was merely worried for his rider. Eragon softened, tentatively laying a hand on Toothless’ jaw. “I know. Me too.” Toothless blinked before continuing to survey their surroundings for danger. Eragon wondered if he understood. He was not like Saphira... A few more seconds of searching revealed straps that could secure Hiccup’s arms. Eragon tightened them, wincing at the uncomfortable angle it put on Hiccup’s neck. It would have to do. 

Brom squinted into the sky. “It’s best we be off. Saphira should return to us soon, but I would like to cover some ground before we are overrun.” He took several long strides to the North, shouldering his pack with a grunt and clearly expecting Eragon to follow. 

Bitterness coated Eragon’s tongue, all the fiercer for Brom’s dismissive demeanor. He spun on his heel. “Wait! You haven’t even told me what’s chasing us.” 

“Save your breath, boy! I’ll explain later.” 

“You will explain  _ now!”  _ Eragon exploded, his voice echoing dangerously loud off the mountainside. He didn't care. Ever since this man discovered that he was a rider, he’d been acting like Eragon was his to command. He’d allowed Brom to convince him to leave his home and family behind, had allowed him to keep his bloody secrets because of their familiarity over the years. Well, no more! That was before they’d been attacked by those awful  _ things _ and before Eragon found out that everything he knew about Brom was a lie! He couldn’t even put a name to the creatures that’d nearly taken his friend away! “How could you possibly expect me to trust you after  _ that?”  _ He pointed wildly to the village where they’d been assaulted and where Brom had displayed a bewildering show of arms, then where he’d healed both dragon and man with  _ magic,  _ something only the king was rumored to do!

Saphira’s presence flickered in the back of his mind, but she was too far to do anything but observe. Her own tumultuous emotions were steeped in the urgency of her search, just as shaken by what happened in Carvahall as he. He was only half aware of her, too incensed to take his focus from the man in front of him.

Brom’s brow lowered thunderously, but after a few charged seconds, they eased. The old man heaved a long sigh. “I should have known you’d be stubborn in this. I will tell you what I can, but only after we’re safe.” 

“You’ll tell me  _ everything,” _ Eragon insisted hotly. He had no patience for half-truths anymore! He would know now or not at all!

Brom’s lips pinched into a stubborn line. “I will tell you what you need to know and nothing more!” he snapped. “Do not press me, Eragon. Some secrets you are not ready to learn. Now come! The morning grows late as we stand here like rabbits for the slaughter!” He spun on his heel with an air of finality, cloak snapping behind him with as much anger as its master. 

Eragon seethed. The arrogance of this man! It was only the potent fear of their pursuers and his care for Hiccup and Toothless that stayed his feet from turning right around and going the other way. Gritting his teeth, he forced his fists to unclench. He couldn't do that. Brom had the information they needed, and he couldn’t afford to let him leave no matter how much he disliked him at the moment. 

Toothless did not seem to share his trepidations of Brom, at the end of his patience for the arguments of men. He nudged Eragon as he moved to follow in that peculiar lope of his, emerald eyes scanning the skies for enemies. Eragon dragged rough fingers through his hair in resignation, shouldered his pack. 

Against his every instinct, he followed Brom deeper into the Spine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo friends! Another chapter for our boys and girl. I'm so excited that Hiccup will be able to talk with everyone now! It will be so much easier to change perspectives oml what was I even thinking. Those of you that like language barrier tropes and are sad to see it go, don't despair! There will be a lot more of it as Hiccup and Toothless continue to learn to understand each other. 
> 
> Hiccup has downloaded a new language. Please restart your system. 
> 
> Magic is conveniently magical. 
> 
> Charlie-chan beat me this time! If you haven't already, check out the new chapter of the World Ahead. Things are getting interesting~
> 
> Thanks for all the lovely comments and Kudos, we love to hear your thoughts. See you crazy peeps next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is made and the sky heals.

Despite Eragon’s determination to get the answers Brom seemed so keen on hiding, the hike to their camp was grueling. On the tail of nearly two days without sleep, the punishing adrenaline they’d been made to endure, and the stress of his life-changing so utterly in the span of a week, the second Saphira boosted him into the small, hidden cave that was only large enough to fit three humans and a small dragon, Eragon barely had the energy to help an unconscious Hiccup from his saddle before he collapsed beside him, spent. 

He muffled a groan into his arm, shivering at the cold sweat that soaked his shirt, the hard ground ice beneath him. He _ached._ Every part of him throbbed with the too-fast beating of his heart. He was done. He was _done._ Tears pricked unbidden at the corners of his eyes that he pushed back with a monumental effort. He wasn’t a child anymore. 

_Little one…_

_I’m fine._

Saphira’s discontent was palpable from where she perched on the cliff above, gaze sweeping the land for pursuers. _You are not._

Eragon didn’t dignify that with an answer, swallowing around the lump in his throat. A few feet away, Brom rummaged around the small cave, arranging the wood he’d collected and starting a small, smokeless fire. Toothless snuffled around Hiccup’s unconscious form, crooning softly. Eragon flinched when he felt a wave of hot air wash over his face, turning his head slightly to look up into Toothless’ wide eyes. He wished he hadn’t. 

“Ugh!” Eragon jerked as a warm, wet tongue rasped along his face, leaving a red mark against his cheek and his hair standing on end with spit. He immediately tried to get the sticky substance off to no avail. Toothless let out a peculiar barking sound and Eragon’s face heated as he realized he was being laughed at. Saphira’s amusement made his ears burn even more and he scowled at the ceiling of the cave. 

_Shut up._

_I didn’t say anything,_ but her own laughter could be heard faintly and after a moment, Eragon relented with a small smile. Toothless snuffled and looked at him expectantly and Eragon found that he was grateful, the humiliating urge to cry receding. Without thinking, he reached out to the dragon to express his thanks, and flinched when his mind met Toothless’. 

Eragon gasped, going rigid as a barrage of instincts and impressions skated across his consciousness, foreign and endless like the distant beat of a drum he couldn’t find the rhythm to. He pulled away as if burned, blinking in shock. 

Toothless snorted and shook his head, scrunching his nose as if he’d smelled something particularly unpleasant before tilting his head inquisitively. 

“Did I just…” Eragon muttered, unsettled. He hadn't known that was possible. The only being he’d ever communicated like that with was Saphira. Saphira too, seemed unsettled. 

_That was…_

_Yeah._

“You know, it’s considered rude to speak to another’s dragon without permission,” Brom commented in his dry, rasping tones. Eragon choked, almost having forgotten the old man was there. 

“I...didn’t know I could,” he settled on eventually. A thought occurred to him. “Does this mean I can communicate with others like this?”

Brom hummed. “Yes, and no. Anyone can reach into another’s mind with enough training. Whether the other senses it or can respond in kind is entirely dependent on _their_ training.”

“Is it magic?” Eragon asked, a little thrill of excitement waking him slightly. 

“It is neither magic nor an innate ability,” Brom said, stoking the flames and pulling some salted meat from his pack. He tore into it hungrily and his blue eyes flashed in the wan light, the bags beneath them heavy. “Most importantly, it is invasive and dangerous. I would not use it unless in the direst of circumstances.”

“Dangerous? What do you mean?” Eragon frowned. He understood that it could be invasive. It was an incredibly intimate experience to share his thoughts and feelings with Saphira. If someone did that to him without his permission… “How can I tell someone is entering my mind?” 

Brom sighed deeply, but there was a grim edge of amusement in his hard jaw. “If I answer, will you be satisfied for now?” He laughed dryly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Knowing you, this discussion could span the day.” 

Eragon scowled, but nodded. He too was at the end of his rope. 

“To answer your first question; when you reach out with your mind, you leave yourself vulnerable to attack. There are those who have weaponized the ability to cause pain, to extract information, and to control the thoughts of others.” Brom leaned back, slumping against the cave wall, seemingly unbothered by the edges digging into his back. “To answer the second, with enough time and experience, you will know immediately if someone is breaking into your thoughts.” 

“Can you do it?” 

Brom glared at yet more questions, but resigned himself to answer with a patience that seemed hard to muster. “Yes. I can do it. But I don’t have the energy right now. It is easier for riders to use this ability than others, and I am no rider.” 

Eragon opened his mouth to ask another question, but Brom’s glare quelled him. Instead, he fell silent, restless despite his exhaustion. But it was clear that Brom was finished, his bloodshot eyes drifting closed even as he slumped against the uncomfortable wall. With the last of his energy, Brom spoke to Toothless. 

“We must rest. Can you keep watch?” 

Whether Toothless understood or not, it didn't seem to matter; Brom was unconscious moments later, his soft snores mingling with Hiccup’s. Eragon blinked and forced himself to stay awake, his mind buzzing with what he just learned. He looked to Toothless curiously, finding the dragon licking along his flank to remove some dust, seeming completely unconcerned with their conversation. Eragon had to wonder just how much the dragon understood. Hiccup spoke to him as if he were fully sentient, but the brush against Eragon’s mind had seemed anything but. Or rather, it had seemed alien. Clearly Toothless understood _something_. Perhaps he too, simply suffered a language barrier for all that he seemed more...animalistic than Saphira. His tired eyes drifted to Hiccup’s relaxed face, lingering on the hollows of his cheeks. He wondered if Brom had succeeded. He wondered if he’d finally be able to talk to him... 

_Eragon. You must sleep. Your questions will not miraculously find solutions in an exhausted mind._

_Who taught you to speak like that?_ Eragon asked dazedly. _I don’t speak like that…_

_It is how I am. Now sleep. I will keep watch._

Eragon’s head dropped. With the last of his strength, he watched as Toothless patted the floor at the cave entrance before spinning in a circle, burning the stone with his fire. Heat washed over Eragon, driving away the chill, and his muscles went completely lax. His eyes were closed before Toothless settled down in the lingering flames, gaze outward into the forest below. 

* * *

When Hiccup finally awoke, he was warm. Comfortable. 

That in itself was a rare enough state of being for him these days. Warm, perhaps. Toothless’ fire was enough that wrapped around him, he could stave off the deepest winter chill. Comfortable? That was not something Hiccup was used to. Vikings, as a rule, did not put much stock into comfort; even back home, his bed was a hard pallet. 

Slowly, he opened his eyes, feeling more rested than he had in a long while. A moment of groggy blinking showed him why. Toothless wings enveloped him totally, blocking out the light and cold air more effectively than shutting all the windows in his hut ever had. He rumbled against Hiccup’s back, his steady, deep heartbeat more comforting than anything else in this world. But that was nothing unusual. 

The young man curled against Hiccup’s side like a limpet _was_ . Hiccup shuddered. It had been a long, _long_ time since anyone but Toothless had been this close. Astrid and Fishlegs were the only ones he’d been close enough with to ask for this sort of thing, and Eragon was neither his lover nor his shield-brother. But he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. It had been so _long,_ and Eragon was warm. He sighed, relaxing again, and carefully allowed his arms to wind around the boy’s broader shoulders, ignoring the way his left tingled from loss of circulation. His breath rustled Eragon’s hair and the boy mumbled, burying his face into Hiccup’s chest. 

“Roran…”

Hiccup’s breath stilled. Gods, he sounded so _young_ just then, as if in his own mind he was still a scared child. It was no wonder. Hiccup remembered with dread his first battle. He’d grown colder, harder, over the many since, but the first always lingered in his mind with a certain sense of horrified nostalgia. 

That was back when dragons were still monsters to him and he’d been nothing more than a fishbone. Those _creatures,_ though… they’d been somehow infinitely more terrifying. “You did well,” he whispered into the dark of Toothless’ shadow. Eragon’s bravery was not in question. He’d done better than some full-grown Viking’s Hiccup had trained. Despite the terror, Eragon had not stopped trying to help Hiccup. 

Eragon shifted, restless, a small whimper clawing its way free. Hiccup held him tighter, giving him the physical comfort his father had never brought himself to give. He’d learned a long time ago to hide weakness in a society that valued physical strength above all else. But he's since come to realize that strength wasn’t always defined by your physical body, and it was not weakness to feel pain nor offer comfort. Toothless taught him that. 

Eragon shivered, his hand clutching at Hiccup’s chest, and Hiccup frowned as a flash of... _something_ swam across his vision. He blinked, and it came again, brighter this time. Darkness, the distant sound of screams and flashes of fire...then a shadowy figure, needle teeth flashing and jaws opening wide–

Hiccup flinched badly as the creature lunged, Eragon jerking awake at precisely the same moment. 

“No!” 

Hiccup’s breath whooshed out of him as Eragon shoved him into Toothless, the boy rolling away and scrambling back. Toothless grunted, wings retracting to let in the cold and the blinding light of sunset. Hiccup winced, eyes adjusting not quite quickly enough to stop a mild headache from forming. Once he could see again, Eragon’s heaving form swam into view, the boy pressed against the cave wall, blinking just as dazedly as Hiccup. 

“Hiccup?” Eragon whispered, hands clenching into the hard-packed dirt below him as if to ground himself. 

“Yeah, it’s just me,” Hiccup soothed, raising his hands as he would for a startled dragon. The tone of his voice usually helped more than any words ever did, so he kept talking, watching for the ease in Eragon’s shoulders to appear. “You had a nightmare. But it’s fine. We’re safe.” At least, he hoped so. But Toothless wouldn’t have slept at all if he sensed any danger. Toothless rumbled grumpily, cuffing Hiccup lightly with his jaw for waking him so suddenly. Hiccup chuffed apologetically, rubbing his side.

Eragon’s eyes grew wide, mouth falling open in shock. Hiccup frowned. Not the reaction he usually got…

“I can understand you,” Eragon said slowly, wonder in his voice. 

For a moment, Hiccup’s vision swam as he heard the words come from Eragon’s mouth, almost as if it were delayed in the air between them. “Are you speaking _Norse?”_ But no...Eragon wasn’t. He was speaking his own language. Yet...Hiccup could understand it. 

“No!” Eragon said, excitement growing in his face. “And you’re not speaking Common!” 

Hiccup furrowed his brow, taking a few seconds to parse out the strange syllables he could somehow miraculously make into sense. He shifted uncomfortably as a pressure much like when Saphira shared her thoughts with him seemed to press in all around. Still, he couldn’t help the small thrill of excitement and the massive well of relief that filled him to the brim. He could _understand_ even if Eragon’s words still sounded like a garbled mess to his ears. “But...how?”

“I opened your mind,” Brom said, ducking through the narrow opening into the cave. Eragon and Hiccup both turned to look, startled, but Toothless snuffled excitedly at the load of fresh fish in Brom’s hands, his ears perking. Hiccup worked his jaw a bit when the pressure increased slightly, as if two voices strained his comprehension, scooting away from Toothless as the dragon wiggled in place. “I sent Saphira to scout the valley. We haven’t been spotted yet, but night is falling.” 

Eragon clenched his jaw, annoyed. “For someone who claims it’s rude to speak to another’s dragon without permission, you sure seem comfortable ordering mine to do as you please.”

Brom raised an unamused brow. “Saphira is entirely her own, and her will does not bend but by her leave. You would do well to remember it.” 

The tension rose palpably in the air and Hiccup watched warily. It was different now that he could understand their contention, though without context he was a little lost. “Wait, hold on, back up a second,” he said waving his hand through the air as if he could dispel the tension and gestured. “Wha-wha-what do you mean, opened my _mind?_ How does that work exactly?” He placed both hands on his folded knees, giving Brom his most skeptical look. He was told it was very effective. Or annoying, depending on who one asked. 

Eragon seemed to realize something. “Wait. You just said last night that doing that was invasive and dangerous.”

“Wait, what?” Hiccup glanced between the two men rapidly. Toothless, the traitor, had eyes for nothing but the food, nudging at Brom insistently.

Brom glanced down at him, a slight smile pulling at his face despite himself. It made him look younger. Roguish, even. “There is a small mountain stream just down the ridge that’s full of fish. Help yourself.” 

Just like that Toothless was gone, completely ignoring Hiccup’s sputtered protests. “Aaand there he goes. It’s kind of scary how well you know my dragon already. Are you also a rider?” 

Brom’s face once again went impassive. “No.” 

“Well, are you going to answer our questions?” Eragon said impatiently. 

The older man raised both eyebrows. “Yes,” he said shortly before completely ignoring the two riders, moving about the cave to start the fire and spit the fish. Eragon’s face was pulled with anger and disbelief, but also resignation, as if he was long used to such treatment from the old man. Hiccup settled back patiently. The irascible warrior sort of reminded him of old Gothi, though much younger in appearance. And Gothi never spoke unless she was ready, or beware the sharp raps of her blunt Shaman’s cane and swarm of protective terrible terrors.

Once the fish were taken care of, the man settled against the opposite wall, pulling his pipe out and lighting it with an ember. He inhaled deeply before exhaling with a long sigh, spewing smoke into the air. With his pipe firmly between his teeth and the smell of cooking meat filtering through the air, he finally turned his attention to the young men. “Now, where to begin.” 

“You opened Hiccup’s mind,” Eragon ground out, holding onto his temper by the skin of his teeth. “When you said you could help him learn our language, that wasn’t what I had in mind.” 

Brom snorted into the air. “You had something in mind, did you? Thought I could just magically shove a dictionary into his head? No.” Brom took another pull of his pipe, seemingly oblivious to Eragon’s distrustful scowl. “As I explained last night, some have the ability to enter another’s thoughts with the proper training.” He nodded to Hiccup, looking at him sternly beneath his steel brows. “I gave you this ability to some extent. Enough for you to ‘borrow’ our understanding of the words we use and vice versa.” 

“You used magic,” Hiccup said cautiously, “so I could read your minds?”

“Not quite,” Brom said gruffly as Eragon seemed slightly uncomfortable with the idea. “I was able to word the spell in such a way that merely bypassed what might have been years of training, depending on your proficiency. However, I merely jump-started the ability, as it were. For anything deeper, you will have to train as hard as anyone.” 

Hiccup considered this. It was… “Incredible,” he mumbled, eyes roving sightlessly over the ground in front of him. What were the limitations of such an ability? Could he read someone’s intentions? Understand other languages as well as this one? Was that...had he been able to truly see Eragon’s dream earlier? Is _that_ what that was? 

“There is a downside, however,” Brom continued grimly, bringing Hiccup back to the present. “You are now more vulnerable to mental attack. It will be doubly difficult to restore your shields to any form of protection, and you will still have to learn the common language if you wish to communicate with any besides us.” 

“Mental...attack?” 

Brom nodded thoughtfully, as if a simple way to explain might be plucked from the air. “Think of it as a stone wall around your mind, thick and strong save for a small drain at it’s base. I have widened that drain into an open door through which enemies may more easily break through.” 

“Alright…” That sort of made sense. Save for the fact that he’d never heard of such an attack to begin with. Mental warfare? But with everything he’d seen in his short life, he had no reason to think that Brom spoke anything but the truth. The fact that he could understand him at all was a miracle, so why doubt this? “So what can I build to defend it?” 

Brom’s eyes lit with interest. “Your mind works in interesting ways, young rider.” 

Hiccup lips quirked into a crooked smile, a little wistful. “So I’ve been told.” 

Brom leaned back, content. “You are on the right track. However, the lesson will have to wait for another time. There are much more pressing matters to discuss.” 

“Who... _what_ attacked us?” Eragon said in a rush, his mouth a stern line beneath his straight nose. His eyes were hard, as if he expected another evasion, but he was surprised when Brom did not.

“They are called the Ra'zac. They are an ancient race of predators that are said to have followed the first humans–their prey–from across the seas to Alagaesia. There are only two that I know of now; those bred by Galbatorix to hunt riders throughout the Fall and since.”

Hiccup narrowed his eyes in confusion. The Fall? Galbatorix? But these unfamiliar terms seemed to mean something to Eragon, who nodded slowly. “So...Galbatorix knows about us now. Or will, when they return to the capital.” Hiccup subsided, deciding to listen for now. 

Brom gnawed on his pipe stem, staring into the fire seriously. “Yes, assuming they don’t choose to pursue us instead,” he muttered grimly. “We can only hope that I injured one enough that they will take some time to recover. But there is another thing to consider. Why do you suppose they were in Carvahall in the first place?” 

Eragon frowned. “You said there were people asking about the egg.” 

“Correct,” Brom said with a tight smile. “We can only assume the king already knows about you, or at least suspected enough to send his fiercest pursuers.” 

“Which means their orders are to chase us down and bring us back,” Eragon said grimly. “That’s why they tried to take Hiccup.” 

Brom hummed in agreement. Toothless chose that moment to return, smelling strongly of fish and scales still damp and glistening from the water. Entirely too pleased with himself, he pranced over to Hiccup– _I am the best hunter, admire me_ –and looked down on him expectantly, sitting down on his haunches. Hiccup smiled, rolling his eyes and holding out his hand. 

“Alright, cough it up, oh great hunter. You sure know how to shatter the drama.” Despite his usual resigned revulsion as Toothless regurgitated part of his kill for his enjoyment, Hiccup couldn’t help but be glad to see his buddy back to his usual perky self. With practiced movements, he cut a small incision into the center of the half-digested fish, getting a decent sized, unspoiled strip before tossing the rest back to his partner. Toothless snapped it up readily, settling down in contentment as Hiccup snagged a small rock to heat up the morsel by the fire. When he finally looked up, he found both Brom and Eragon looking at him with curiosity and mild disgust. Well, Brom looked more interested than disgusted while Eragon looked like he might heave. Hiccup almost laughed. Just wait ‘til he ate it. “Sorry, sorry, carry on. You were saying?”

If Brom’s bushy brows rose any higher, they would disappear into his hairline. They ignored Eragon entirely as he regained his composure. “Your bond with Toothless is remarkable. How long have you known each other?” 

Hiccup hummed, leaning back against his other half and scratching him absentmindedly beneath the chin. Toothless purred. “Five years now? Though how we met is a long story.”

“Met? He didn’t hatch for you?” 

“Hatch? No, he’s about my age, or so my mom claims.” He gestured and said in an aside, “Dragon tamer. Anyway, it was only recently we were able to witness dragons hatching at all. It wasn’t like they nested anywhere near us when we were at war.” 

“At war, you say?” Brom looked entirely intrigued now. “It seems you have quite the tale to tell, my young friend. To be honest, I’ve never seen anything quite like Toothless.” 

Hiccup grinned. “Most haven’t. Toothless is a Night Fury, most feared and rarest of dragons. And I’ve seen hundreds of different breeds, but Saphira is entirely unique. Tell me, do the dragons of this land all have the ability to speak your language?” 

Brom was gaping now. “Hundreds…” he breathed, before saying faintly, “Yes… we have much to discuss.” He cleared his throat. “But we will have plenty of time on the road for history lessons. For now, we plan our next move.” 

Eragon shook himself from his thoughts. “What is the plan, since you are convinced we should leave Carvahall forever.” There was a lingering bitterness in his words and Hiccup frowned, suddenly understanding his longing from before. 

“Would you rather stay and allow yourself to be captured and your family burned? Because that is what will happen,” Brom said calmly, but before Eragon could bristle, he continued. “That is somewhat up to you. I have offered to train you, and I will honor that offer. As for the direction we head, you may decide, though keep in mind that any human city we pass will face the same danger as Carvahall.” 

Eragon deflated, glaring into the fire. Then he looked at Hiccup as if realizing something important. “Will you stay?” 

Hiccup blinked at the familiar pleading in Eragon’s eyes. Oh. OH. That was what he’d been trying to ask this entire time. That, at least, was something Hiccup could give easily. Something he’d already _decided_ to give. He smiled reassuringly. “Of course. You saved our lives, and so we owe you ours. Besides, you and Saphira are hopeless,” he joked. “You wouldn’t be the first new pair we’ve taken on. Far from it.” 

Eragon nearly collapsed in relief, a brilliant smile taking his fair features. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to us,” he said with feeling.

Hiccup got the feeling that he did. He knew exactly what it was like to be the only rider, to carry that burden on his own. 

Brom was eyeing him speculatively now and Hiccup shifted, bearing the attention with ill grace as he always did. “Of course,” he said, nodding deferentially, “I could use some training as well. Can’t leave my mind wide open, right?” 

The old man nodded, enigmatic. “Yes. We can’t have that.” He returned to Eragon. “So what will it be, boy? Where should we go?” 

Eragon looked down as if he really didn’t want to say what he said next. “Well. We have Toothless and Saphira, so won’t we be able to avoid the Ra'zac easily?” 

“Ah, there’s the kick,” Brom answered, seeming pleased that Eragon was thinking this through. “We don’t know how the Ra'zac travel. They are rumored to have the ability to cover great distances as if they have wings of their own. I have never seen such creatures before last night, so I cannot say that I know how they do it.” 

“So flying may not be a cure-all,” Hiccup mused. 

“Indeed.”

Eragon made a frustrated noise. “I don’t know. I’ve only ever seen the map of the world you showed me, and that was ages ago and just the once.” 

Brom nodded. “This might help then.” He pulled his pack close and drew out a large piece of parchment, scooting around the fire to spread it over the floor. They had to strain slightly, as the sun had fully set, but Hiccup could make out the lines with the firelight. His eyes widened. 

“What is the scale of this?” he said faintly. If he was reading this right...this was the largest mass of land he’d _ever_ seen. He couldn’t comprehend it _._

Brom pointed to a mountain range on the left side of the page. “This is the Spine, the range we are in now. We are here.” He pointed to a small peak, practically on top of the town of Carvahall. He dragged his finger to the other side of the map to another mountain range. Even on paper, each mountain was easily ten times the size of the one he pointed out first. “This is the Beor Mountains. For reference, this is the most accurate map I have ever dug up. I have it on good authority that it was penned by a rider herself, drawn from the back of a dragon.”

Hiccup swallowed, intimidated. He couldn’t comprehend it. Eragon looked less dismayed, but still impressed by the vastness of Alagaesia. He dragged his finger southword, lingering for only a moment on Therinsford just south of Carvahall before moving on. “We could go South, avoid the settlements.”

“We could,” Brom agreed. “It would be harder to do without being spotted, but it could be done. What I want to know is, _why?”_

Eragon frowned. “We’re fleeing the Ra'zac. That’s what you said.” 

“Yes. But what else?” 

Eragon sat back, seeming to catch on. “The king. We’re fleeing the control of the king. And training. Saphira and I have to learn how to be a rider and dragon.” 

“That’s it. What else? What are your long term goals? Think, boy.” 

“I want...to protect my family. From the Ra’zac _and_ the Empire.” He paused, face filling with dread. “You aren’t expecting us to _take down the Empire,_ are you?”

Brom set aside his pipe carefully and folded his hands, looking Eragon in the eye. “It’s not about what _I_ expect. Fate has already dealt its hand and Saphira hatched for _you_. That means you have two choices; flee or fight. The king will never stop hunting you. Never. The Ra’zac have seen your face and know where you live. Not to mention the entire village of Carvahall knows exactly who and what you are now.”

“But we’re drawing them away!” Eragon said, dismayed. 

“The Ra’zac, perhaps, but they are not the king’s only agents,” Brom said matter of factly. “It is only a matter of time before more arrive.” 

“So we leave a clear trail to follow.”

“That won’t work either. The folk of Carvahall, knowingly or not, have now harbored two fugitive riders. The king will not let that slide. Besides, as you are, there is nothing you can do against the Ra’zac, let alone the king’s armies.” 

Eragon fell silent, contemplative. His jaw clenched. “So what you’re saying is, they’re doomed no matter what I do.” 

“What I’m _saying_ is that they must fend for themselves. They are all enemies of the Empire now, just as you are.”

“So they won’t be safe until the Empire falls, is that it?” Eragon snarled. “Saphira and I just have to storm the capital and kill the most powerful man in Alagaesia on our own, is that all?” He looked like he might be sick. “Just train us up a bit and send us off to the slaughter?” 

Hiccup, eyes still glued to the parchment and barely following the facts flying fast, looked up then. “Not alone,” he said softly. 

Eragon’s breath hitched, reddened gaze flickering to Hiccup before glaring back at Brom. 

“No, not alone,” Brom agreed, almost gently. “There are others who fight to free the Empire from Galbatorix’s rule.”

“The Varden,” Eragon gritted out. “A fairy story.” 

“They are very real,” Brom assured. “And they are not the only ones.” 

Eragon nodded slowly, then shook his head. “So we go to them. Join the resistance.” 

Brom was quiet for a long moment. “Eventually, perhaps. Right now, you need to learn as much as you can so that the next time you face the Ra’zac, you will not be so easy a target.” Brom stood, and the four of them looked up as the unmistakable thump of Saphira’s wings percussed the air. “I will leave you to speak with Saphira. Whatever path you choose, I will follow.” 

“What does the path matter when the end is the same?” Eragon muttered sullenly. 

Brom’s eyes glittered in the wan light. “The destination may be the same, but the end may turn out differently than you think.” He regarded Hiccup. “This is not your battle, Rider, yet I would ask you to join us just the same.” 

“I already said I would,” Hiccup reminded, meeting his eyes squarely. 

Brom nodded. “Be that as it may, I would ask you to consider again. This is not a task taken lightly, and I would not have you follow for a perceived obligation on your part. Your choice must be freely given.” With that, he ducked out of the cave, disappearing in a whisper of fabric.

The second he was gone, Saphira snaked her head inside, the rest of her clinging to the cliffside. Toothless flicked his ear in acknowledgement, bored with the proceedings. To everyone, she said, _What did I miss?_

To Hiccup’s relief, her thoughts were so much easier to understand than anyone speaking aloud. Screwing his eyes shut, he did his best to respond. _You’ll have to ask Eragon. I didn’t follow half of it, to be perfectly honest._

A trickle of surprise and pleasure reached him, and he smiled. _Well met, traveler. I am glad we can speak now._

“So am I,” Hiccup said aloud with a slight huff of exertion. His head ached. “But it's way easier to use my voice, sorry.”

“It’ll get easier,” Eragon said quietly. “It took some getting used to.” 

Hiccup’s smile fell. Saphira leaned in further, touching her snout to Eragon’s leg. _Tell me everything._ Eragon buried his head in his folded arms, and did.

Several minutes later, Saphira nodded her understanding. _So what now?_

“I don’t know!” Eragon despaired, pulling at his dark hair. “We can’t take on the king. We’re just...us!” 

“You’d be surprised how useful one man and a dragon can be,” Hiccup joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“What would you know about it?” the younger snapped viciously. “I’ve lost _everything!_ And now I must free the entirety of Alagaesia or my family _dies_? I never asked for this!” 

Hiccup tried very hard not to be offended, a sharp stab of pain piercing his chest. “You’d be surprised,” he said instead of the scathing response that nearly burned him on its way out. Eragon was in pain. Arguing would not help matters. Toothless bumped against his shoulder and Hiccup put a hand on his face, drawing what strength he could.

Dismay passed over Eragon, then regret. He looked away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. It’s just...a lot.” 

“I know,” Hiccup said with all the compassion he could muster. He steeled himself. “I know what it’s like to feel alone, to overcome an insurmountable task or face the destruction of your people.” He reached over and placed his hand on Eragon’s thigh, the younger’s eyes filled with tears. “I _know._ But you’re not alone in this. You have Saphira. You have Brom. You have _us._ And who knows who else may come to our aid? If I’ve learned anything, it’s that even the smallest person can turn the tides of war.” 

Eragon looked down at Hiccup’s hand slowly, then his face, eyes flickering back and forth between Hiccup’s own. “You really do know, don’t you.” The young rider took a deep, steadying breath before letting it out in a humorless laugh. “When you talk like that, you really make me want to believe we can do this.” 

“Well, it sounds like you kind of have to,” Hiccup said with an irreverent pat of his hand. 

Eragon scowled and said dryly, “Gee, thanks.” 

“Always here to help,” he said with a grin, and this time Eragon’s laugh was genuine. He placed his hand over Hiccup’s and gripped it tight, eyes brimming with gratitude. 

“Thank you. For saying you’ll stay. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” 

Hiccup laughed nervously, glancing away. He never did well with praise. “Ah, you know. Saving the world from a tyrannical dragon enslaving dictator, fleeing from unnatural creatures, training a new rider or three; all in a day’s work.” 

“Somehow I don’t think you’re entirely joking,” Eragon wondered, and Hiccup shrugged noncommittally, enjoying the way Eragon’s brows rose. 

“That aside,” Hiccup said, carefully extricating his hand to scratch the back of his neck. His throat tightened slightly under Eragon’s admiration. “What’s next?” 

All three of them turned their attention to the map. Toothless plopped his head on Hiccup’s, bending him down with a grunt. _Explore?_ he chirped. _Fly?_

“That’s the idea, bud,” Hiccup chuckled, pushing him off so he could peer more closely at the inked lines. 

_So we can’t go South…_ Saphira mused.

“Well, we could, but that would lead us to the heart of the Empire,” Eragon said.

“So what about East?” Hiccup suggested, eyeing the massive forest. “I bet it would be pretty difficult to track us in there. It would give us time to train and figure out our next move.” 

Eragon looked with both curiosity and trepidation at the vast sea of trees. “You know, they say that elves live in Du Weldenvarden.” 

“The tiny sprites?” Hiccup asked, somewhat thrown. What did that have to do with anything? Unless they needed stolen socks. Or was that trolls…

Eragon laughed lightly. “No, apparently they are the size of men and much stronger. The legends say they can use magic as well, though no one has seen them for generations.” Eragon paused, frowning at the cave entrance. “Do you think Brom might be part elf? Maybe that’s why he can use magic.” 

_...Does it matter?_ Saphira rumbled. 

Eragon pursed his lips. “No...I suppose not. For now.” He focused back on the map. “What’s this island? Doru Areaba...wasn’t that a stronghold of the riders? Brom told me about this place in a story once.” 

“Couldn’t hurt to ask,” Hiccup shrugged. He remembered passing over the island on his way inland. Toothless and he had stopped there for a few days to rest, though only on the beach. He hadn’t seen any signs of life save for some old crumbling ruins. “Though I don’t like the idea of cornering ourselves on an island, especially if it used to be a rider's hold. Wouldn’t they look for us there first?” 

“Good point. East it is,” Eragon said decisively. He seemed to relax a bit now that the decision was made. He sat back against the wall with a tired huff. “We’ve only been awake for a couple hours and I’m already tired again.” He cracked his neck, clearly uncomfortable. 

_Speak for yourself. I have been awake for three days now. If anyone needs sleep, it’s me,_ Saphira complained, punctuating the statement with a wide, toothy yawn. Eragon wrinkled his nose as her hot breath washed over them all, bringing with it the stench of raw meat and smoke.

“Ugh.” 

_Oh hush, humans smell much worse,_ Saphira sniffed, and Toothless seemed to rumble in agreement. She licked Eragon’s cheek affectionately as he sputtered in offense before snaking her head back outside and climbing onto the cliff to get some rest. 

“You know, she has a point,” Hiccup said, grimacing at his rather disheveled self. “I for one am taking a bath before we head out.” 

Eragon gave him a weird look. “The water is freezing up here.” 

Hiccup shrugged. “It’s warmer than home.” 

“It’s the dead of winter!” 

Hiccup glanced out at the green layering the mountain terrain despite the snow. “This is winter? Wow.” 

Eragon shook his head in disbelief, but Hiccup ignored him, snagging one of the fish from the fire and digging in. A bit overcooked, but he wasn’t complaining. Toothless grumbled at him and he rolled his eyes, snagging the small bit of fish that Toothless ‘provided’ him, eating it in three quick bites. Toothless settled back down, content.

“So who’s Roran?” Hiccup said lightly, deciding not to acknowledge Eragon’s mock gagging. Eragon sobered and Hiccup wondered if he’d stepped on another landmine. “Ah, sorry. You don’t have to answer.” 

“No, it’s fine. He’s my cousin. We were raised as brothers. He’s working in the next town over so he can start a family…” Eragon wilted, and Hiccup swallowed hard around his morsel. A family that may not happen now. 

“You said his name in your sleep. While you were cuddling me,” he teased. 

Eragon straightened, his ears turning red. “Um. Sorry. I used to sneak into his room as a kid. We haven’t done it in a really long time,” he added defensively over Hiccup’s light laughter. 

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Hiccup laughed. “No shame in seeking comfort in your sleep! I never had a sibling, but I did have a shield brother. Sometimes we’d share warmth when things got hard.” His levity fell. Fishlegs. Thor, he missed him. He couldn’t even bring himself to think of Astrid's name. 

“What’s a shield brother?” Eragon asked, curiosity lighting his eyes and banishing the shadows, if only for a moment. Hiccup’s lips quirked, setting aside his useless longing in the face of Eragon’s endearing desire to know absolutely everything. Breathing around the familiar pain, he explained as best he could. 

“Shield brothers are a pair in battle. They watch each other’s backs and share everything they have. Sometimes they could be closer than they are with even their spouses. Or sometimes they _are_ each other’s spouses.” Hiccup chuckled, remembering Astrid’s parents. No closer had a shield maiden and shield brother been, bonded in all the ways that mattered. Valka had never been a warrior, or she would have been such for Stoic. Gobber probably would have fought her for the honor. Perhaps he had.

“Can I be your shield brother?” Eragon asked innocently, seeming enthused by the idea. Hiccup startled, whipping around to look at the other boy in disbelief. 

“You...want to be my shield brother? But I’m…” Wait. “I don’t think you understand what you’re asking.” Hiccup looked anywhere but at Eragon, his neck flushing with heat. Had he not been _listening?_

“What do you mean?” Eragon asked, somewhat defensive as Hiccup scrambled. 

“I–shield brothers don’t just happen because you ask! They–” he laughed nervously. “They share everything. _Everything_ . It’s a bond born from battle and saving each other’s _lives_ –I–” he would never have to explain this to a Viking. He didn’t even really know _how_.

“I have saved your life,” Eragon said slowly, clearly not getting it. “And you’ve saved mine.” 

_“No,”_ Hiccup snapped, more harshly than he intended. Eragon sat back, his stubbornness barely hiding the flash of hurt. Hiccup ran a hand over his face. “No, I. Eragon. I didn’t save your life. When did–? No. And that’s not all there is to it. It’s a lifelong bond of our bodies, our souls, everything we own. To let your shield brother die is to forfeit your own life _,_ do you understand?” Hiccup couldn’t look at him. He’d had that once. He’d had that and he’d abandoned it. _You didn’t have a choice,_ a forlorn voice in his head whispered, and Hiccup had to choke back a sob. If only that were true. 

Eragon was taken aback at Hiccup’s emotional outburst. “I’m sorry. I didn’t understand,” he whispered, but there was the unmistakable edge of hurt in his voice. Hiccup didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to correct it, his chest blown open and raw. Toothless crooned at his side and suddenly all he wanted to do was _sleep._

“I’m tired,” he rasped, turning away and snuggling into the embrace of Toothless’ welcoming wings. His partner held him close and shielded him from Eragon’s prying eyes. Eragon didn’t respond, and Hiccup fell into a fitful sleep to the rhythm of Toothless’ steady breaths.

* * *

It was only a few hours later that Brom roused him, the night still blanketed over the mountains. 

“We need to get moving. The Ra’zac travel at night and I want to gain as much distance as we can.” 

Hiccup nodded in understanding after a few moments of puzzling out Brom’s words. He got up, joints creaking like an old man, and silently checked Toothless’ gear, eyes downward. Eragon was nowhere to be seen. Hiccup raised a brow at Brom, who gestured above. Ah. He was sleeping with Saphira then. 

“I’m going to wake them. Then we need to figure out a saddle for Saphira…” Brom muttered, leaving the cave and making his way up the cliff. 

Hiccup let out a long sigh, head thunking against Toothless’ flank. 

_Hiccup? Tired? Sick?_ Toothless curled around him, nosing his stomach and sniffing him all over. Concern glimmered in his expressive eyes

 _I’m fine,_ he huffed back. _Heart-sick._ He thought for a moment. _Sky will heal._

Toothless perked. _Fly?_

_Fly._

Toothless nuzzled his face, giving him a quick lick before dragon-handling him onto his back with retracted teeth. Before Hiccup could point out that they needed to gather their gear and eat first, Toothless had launched himself out of the cave, wings snapping open and lifting them into the sky. 

“Whoa!” Hiccup laughed, and then cried out with joy as the wind whipped around him, he and Toothless moving as one in the air’s frozen embrace. Toothless crowed, turning his nose to the bright full moon and straining towards it, Hiccup an extension of his form. Hiccup’s heart raced with excitement, eyes watering from the frigid air and the pure exhilaration of returning to where he belonged. This. He had missed this. He and Toothless had not flown together with such easy happiness since Stoic’s death, and Hiccup regretted that. In his grief, he’d not been fair to Toothless. 

He would make up for it now. And from now on. 

Wind rushed beneath their wings, lifting them higher and higher. They breathed in sync, hearts beating as one. For one beautiful, suspended moment, they hung together in the apex, close enough to the stars that Hiccup believed he could reach out and grasp the glimmering gems between his fingers. 

Then they were falling. Bodies relaxed, eyes closed, they let the wind drop them, feeling both heavier than Thor’s hammer and lighter than the softest flurry as they plummeted to the ground. When Hiccup opened his eyes, Toothless’ wings were extended once again, the world passing beneath them slowly as Toothless effortlessly rode the eddies. 

_I’m sorry,_ he said in the stroke of his hand, his voice vibrating through him and into Toothless. They couldn’t hear each other in the rush of the wind, not really, but they’d always been able to communicate through touch.

 _Sky will heal,_ Toothless rumbled back. _Fly more._

Hiccup nuzzled his agreement, nipping one of Toothless’ ears with his blunt teeth. _Soulmate_ . _I’m sorry. Fly more._

Toothless purred and Hiccup allowed himself to drift. 

* * *

Eragon watched Toothless and Hiccup dance in the sky with wonder. It was...beautiful. They were beautiful together; a shadow against the bright full moon.

Eragon’s chest still stung from Hiccup’s rejection. Perhaps he hadn’t known what he was asking. Perhaps he still didn’t. But it was clear that Eragon had overstepped. There had to be something he was missing, some context he didn’t have…

He may have been a bit– _overzealous_ in his admiration of the older rider. It wasn’t as if he expected to become as close with Hiccup as he was with Roran overnight, but. Maybe he was just relieved to not be so alone anymore. Maybe someday he’d ask again.

Eragon’s breath caught at a particularly dangerous looking maneuver, his stomach swooping in sympathetic fear.

“Pay attention, boy. You may very well need to do this on your own one day,” Brom reprimanded, jerking Eragon back around. 

“Sorry. What are you making again?” 

“Leather armor to protect you from Saphira’s scales,” Brom gestured to the wide strips of leather he’d been punching holes in for several minutes now while Eragon had been distracted. They looked only large enough to cover a portion of his thigh, with straps that looped and cinched together on the other side. After a moment, he realized it was meant to pad the inside of his legs.“I would usually make a saddle, but we don’t have the materials nor the time to linger.” 

Eragon swallowed, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. “Do we have to fly?” 

Brom’s hands paused. “...No. And we won’t the entire way. Du Weldenvarden is thick and I would not have us seen by unfriendly eyes. But first we must get there.” 

_Eragon._

Eragon flinched, drawing away from Saphira as much as he could. She would not allow it, and he could no more hide his fear from her than he could the nose on his face. Any more than she could hide her longing and the jealousy of the closeness Toothless and Hiccup shared. It was a longing that Eragon felt too, but...

 _Eragon, do you not trust me?_ Saphira demanded, tearing her eyes from the sky where Hiccup and Toothless still danced. 

_That’s not…_

_Do you believe I would let you fall?_

_No!_

_Then what is it that you fear?_ She growled low in her chest, a rumbling chastisement with no small degree of hurt. 

_I don’t know,_ Eragon snapped. It felt like he was saying that a lot lately. _I wasn’t born with wings like you! If something happened and I fell, I would die._

_You fear death._

_Yes. And pain._ It was hard for him to admit. He felt like a coward. But he couldn’t lie to her, not after what they’d faced in Carvahall.

At his honesty, she softened. _I too fear death,_ she said gently. _I too fear pain. It is natural. But you can’t let it control you._

He grit his teeth, heart jumping like a rabbit fighting to get free from the cage of his ribs. _It’s not that easy._

Saphira looked to the skies. _Then perhaps I can make it easier._

Eragon yelped as she snagged the back of his shirt and threw him into the air. He screamed, flailing, but was only falling for a split second before Saphira was beneath him, wings extended. He fell onto her back with an _oomph_ into the hollow between her neck and back spines. 

There was no time to protest. He clung to her for dear life as she propelled them into the air, launching from the cliff with a powerful stroke of her wings. 

_Saphira, what are you doing!_

_What I should have done weeks ago._

Eragon clung in terror as the land fell away, blurring into indistinct greys and blacks in the silvery moonlight. It was almost worse than being able to see every bone-shattering stone and spiked tree clearly, because his imagination was so much more vivid than his sight had ever been. 

Saphira’s great chest expanded, stretching his legs wider, and she let out a joyous roar, vibrating jarringly between the two of them. 

Her call was answered immediately by Toothless’ exuberant bugle and suddenly he and Hiccup were there. Eragon couldn’t hear what Hiccup was calling, but his face was lit with a fierce joy, teeth glinting brightly in the moonlight before a slight shift had Eragon’s eyes snapping shut again. Saphira laughed. _How are you supposed to understand if you keep your eyes shut?_ she chided. _Open your eyes, little one, and see what I see!_

Despite Eragon’s fear, her enthusiasm was infectious. Cautiously, grip white-knuckled against her hard scales, he sat up, flinching at every shift. She held steady for him as he slowly opened his eyes. It took several tries to lift his gaze from her heaving back, and when he did–

He was dazzled. The world opened up above him in a blanket of starlight and silver clouds, the wind whipping through his hair and numbing his exposed ears. He felt cradled by it, his heart lifting at the beautiful sight of the moon and every gentle downward motion of Saphira’s body. Toothless and Hiccup spiraled around them, occasionally letting out an excited whoop, and Eragon watched them with awe. It was even more thrilling to watch up close. They seemed an extension of each other, Toothless a mere shadow against the sky but for the gleam of his reflective eyes and the playful loll of his tongue. Hiccup’s pale skin and brilliant smile were all Eragon could see of him, and after his misstep earlier, he was relieved to see the other man so happy. 

_This_ was flying? Why had he waited so long?

 _You haven’t seen anything yet,_ Saphira promised mischievously before tucking her wings to her sides. _Hold on!_

 _Wait–_ Eragon couldn’t hear his own scream, but he could feel it tear out of his throat as she dove towards the ground, snapped her wings open at the last second and spiraled into the sky. The world spun dizzyingly and he tried his best to keep his last meal, eyes clenched tightly shut and adrenaline roaring in his blood. But after a few more maneuvers where he was decidedly _not_ flung from Saphira and to his death, Eragon found that his fear receded and in its place, a thrill he’d never experienced before. 

He opened his eyes. His shaking slowed. He could breathe.

Saphira banked left and he leaned into it, trying to mimic what he’d seen Hiccup do. To his elation, the force of her turn kept him seated much more easily and he let out a startled laugh. It turned into a whoop when she arched her back and turned over herself in a complete, graceful circle. When she leveled out again, he looked around, spotting Hiccup and Toothless beneath them. It was easier than he expected to watch them instead of the indistinct ground far below. 

With a roguish grin, Hiccup caught his eye...and held out his arms. 

The younger man paled, his smile falling abruptly. Surely he didn’t intend for Eragon to–

The choice was taken from him as Saphira corkscrewed without warning, this time purposely throwing him into the air. Eragon howled, but didn’t have to face the discomfort for even a full second before Toothless and Hiccup caught him. He landed awkwardly in Hiccup’s lap and clung to him immediately, scraping his nose on the older man’s scale armored chest. He could feel Hiccup’s laughter shake all the way through him and he hit him weakly in protest, not even trying to hide the adrenaline-fueled grin on his face. When he was finally able to look up, it was into bright green eyes, so close he could see every glint of gold and brown and mirth. Then Hiccup’s grin sharpened and once again Eragon found himself airborne. 

When he was caught by Saphira, he shouted in exhilaration and she laughed at the color of his emotions. 

_Saphira, I had no idea,_ Eragon whispered in awe, resting his forehead affectionately against her smooth scales. 

_Now you know. Does this mean you’ll fly with me more often?_

Eragon held her neck tightly. _As often as we can._

Her contentment washed over him as she bore them gently to the ground. 

When Hiccup and Eragon finally stumbled from their dragons, Eragon was fumbling like a fawn and Hiccup felt as light as a feather. They leaned against each other and laughed, the tension between them banished by the singular thrill of flight. 

“I had no idea it could be like that,” Eragon gasped, trying to hold himself upright as his body rocked with the memory of Saphira’s wings. He jabbed the older boy in the side. “I can’t believe you _dropped_ me!”

“Just you wait. Soon enough you’ll question why you ever land,” Hiccup laughed. “And you had fun, don’t deny it!”

“Are you two quite done?” Brom rasped, arms folded and a single brow lifted, unimpressed. Eragon and Hiccup straightened, smiles turning sheepish in chagrin. “Now you’ve announced our exact location to the entire valley, we should leave while we still have the chance.” Brom was gruff as he held out their packs for them to take and gave Eragon his new pants, yet neither young man missed the glimmer of fondness in his stern gaze. They shared a smile when his back was turned and soon enough the five of them were ready to leave. 

With Brom behind him, Eragon stroked Saphira’s scales and looked ahead. _Are you ready?_

_Let’s go._

Eragon didn’t look back as the last distant light of Carvahall faded from view. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off to see the elves! 
> 
> Yeah, so Charlie-chan and I had a debate about how the whole language thing was going to work, and finally settled on this. It should be interesting, bc there's a lot of drawbacks to what Brom did. We'll see more about that later. 
> 
> Yay! The boys can communicate! And Eragon immediately puts his foot in it, because that's who he is haha. The flight was so much fun to write. Very, 'a whole new world~' The whole shield brother thing is probably (definitely) not historically accurate. But Fishlegs and Hiccup were tight. I mean. TIGHT. It was a huge blow to lose Fishlegs and Astrid, obviously. And here's me, butchering Viking culture for the sake of plot. Sorry Vikings.
> 
> Thanks everyone for your support! Check out Charlie-chan's The World Ahead when they update later today~ things are getting spicy.
> 
> As always, adore your comments and ideas. But please, no begging for more chapters. I'll write them when life allows. See you next time! <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn for the au.

Several days passed and the land slowly changed beneath their wings; from reaching mountain ranges to expansive flatlands, a faint line of green just visible on the horizon. Brom set them on a hard pace, Saphira and Toothless bearing either two riders or one in shifts over the short daylight hours. By the time they reached a safe place to rest each night, the two dragons were out like lights. 

For Toothless and Hiccup, the hard journey seemed familiar, practised. Each night, Hiccup would slide from Toothless’ back with nary a wince at sore muscles, immediately helping the dragon from his harness and saddlebags and rubbing him down religiously from wingtip to sharp claw. Only then would Hiccup rest, allowing Toothless to fuss over him as well before the onyx dragon somehow found the energy to hunt them all some food, slinking off into the dark night to return with rabbits or fish without fail.

For Saphira and Eragon, however, the pace they kept was anything but. Those first few days, it was all Eragon could do not to cry out in agony when his feet finally hit the ground each night, legs stretched beyond their limit in ways he’d never had to position them before, back aching and hands arthritic from the cold that bit through his gloves and into his face no matter how tightly he huddled against Saphira’s warm scales. Yet how could he complain when Saphira’s exhaustion was palpable even without the aid of their bond? She’d never left the valley either, had never had cause to fly for such lengths of time, especially with burdens. Her body was as young and untried as Eragon’s, and though she was easily a length larger than Toothless, the smaller dragon was able to carry both Brom and Hiccup for far longer than she. The youngest rider and dragon pair talked little as they struggled to adjust, barely having the energy to eat before passing out handily each night. It was only the fear of their pursuers and pride keeping them from begging for respite. 

It was on the third night, when the first hint of trees against the horizon was finally visible to the humans, that Eragon found he had enough energy to sit with Brom and Hiccup by the campfire. Saphira snored away just outside the light of the fire, Toothless curled to her side and purring audibly over the crackle of flames. Hiccup sat pouring over the small journal that he always seemed to have on hand, scrubbing charcoal onto the page with sure strokes. While Eragon had been hard pressed to concentrate on anything but his own discomfort, Brom had been coaching the older rider on the common tongue. How they had the energy to do that while also flying, Eragon couldn’t imagine, but he suspected the two of them stayed up much later than him when they landed in the night. 

Brom passed a cooked fish from one of the abundant frozen streams that littered the landscape to Eragon, who nodded in thanks. “How long are we going to keep up this pace?” he wondered aloud, voice rough from disuse and exhaustion. 

Brom scratched at his beard, thoughtful, and Hiccup looked up from his scribbles. “I’d say one more day. Once we’ve entered the borders of Du Weldenvarden, we’ll rest for a day or two before continuing on foot.”

Eragon sagged where he sat. Thank goodness. He felt as if his bones were wearing thin, his muscles no more than weakened bowstrings beneath his skin. He would have thought riding a dragon all day would be easier on his body since he wasn’t the one actually doing the work, yet it took an unreasonable amount of energy to keep his balance when he found himself tensing involuntarily at every unexpected shift. He tried to relax, he really did. He knew Saphira would never let him fall. And even if by some freak accident she did, Hiccup and Toothless were there to catch him. Perhaps he would feel more comfortable when he had an actual saddle to tether him... 

A soft huff of laughter had him grimacing at Hiccup. 

Hiccup gave one of those awkward half smiles of his, and Eragon found he couldn’t be irritated with him for long despite his general foul mood. “Sorry, sorry. It will get better, I promise. I couldn’t walk straight for a week after Toothless and I began flying together regularly! My dad was starting to suspect I was getting into fights.” He smiled derisively. “I think he was more excited that I was actually starting to show some backbone than concerned…”

Eragon groaned and sat back with a wince, rubbing at his legs and digging into his sore muscles as best he could, completely missing the wistful way Hiccup’s voice lowered. “My uncle would flay me alive if I got into any fights,” he chuckled through a wince. There were few boys close to his age in Carvahall, most of them a few years younger than him, and he’d never been particularly close with any of them. He’d been closest to his cousin, and Garrow would often work them raw when they got into scuffles. 

“Garrow never did condone violence,” Brom muttered around his pipe. “The old pacifist would let a man rob him blind before he’d raise a fist. Damn fool.” 

Eragon smiled slightly. “‘There’s nothing material in this world more valuable than someone’s life, boy,’” he said gruffly in an imitation of his uncle’s rasping tones. Then he sobered. “I...heard him. When we were leaving Carvahall. He called my name...” Eragon hadn’t been able to see him in the chaos, but there was no mistaking the voice of the man who raised him. 

“You’ll see him again,” Brom said, blowing a smoke ring to dissipate against the blanket of stars.

“How do you know?” Eragon said bitterly. He didn’t blame Brom for everything that happened, not precisely, but he couldn’t help but feel that if the old man had come clean to him sooner– when he’d first suspected that Eragon was a rider– Eragon would have at least had the chance to say goodbye...maybe even leave Carvahall before they were discovered, sparing the people of his home the merciless attentions of their king. 

_ If you had, would you have been able to meet Hiccup and Toothless?, _ a voice inside of him intoned, and Eragon frowned.

“Because I choose to believe it,” Brom said cryptically, a small smile deepening the wrinkles on his wizened face. “Call it optimism. Call if faith. But dreading a future that may never come to pass has never done anyone any good.” 

“He’s right,” Hiccup added. “It’s not like we can change what’s already happened. Sometimes it’s better to just...leave. And keep hoping that one day, you can return.” His smile fell, gaze shuttering. Eragon’s eyes narrowed, not entirely sure Hiccup was talking about him anymore. 

“Why did you leave home?” Eragon asked, something he’d been wondering for a long while now. But once they’d finally been able to truly communicate, he hadn’t gotten the chance to ask. Hiccup’s shoulders tensed. 

“...For the same reasons as you, I guess,” he said softly, before getting to his feet abruptly and making his way to the slumbering dragons. Eragon watched as Hiccup retreated from the light and fell against Toothless, who, even in sleep, enfolded him in his wings.

“What did he mean?” Eragon asked, brows drawn together. 

Brom snorted. “It’s best not to pry. A man is entitled to his past, and his is clearly painful. Someday he may tell you. Just give him time.” 

Eragon exhaled slowly and sank his teeth into the now cold fish in his hands, unsatisfied. The more he tried to get to know his mysterious new friend, the more it seemed that Hiccup shied away. Was it arrogant to think that they’d gotten closer over the past weeks? With an audible crack of his joints, Brom stood and started to lay out his bedroll. 

“Get some rest. Tomorrow when we land, your training begins.” 

Eragon nodded absently as the old man settled down, unable to bring himself to contemplate what that meant. Instead, his eyes fell on a small innocuous journal on the other side of the fire, discarded where Hiccup had left it. Glancing swiftly at Brom, whose back was to the fire, and the pile of dragons and young man just outside the ring of light, Eragon stood and silently snagged the book from the ground. The leather was warm and smooth beneath his fingers, as if it still held Hiccup’s warmth between its pages. Eragon hesitated, curiosity bubbling in the back of his throat, so strong he could almost taste it. But something stopped him from opening the little book. 

He had no idea what it might contain. Perhaps it was as innocuous as sketches of flowers or plants that he sometimes caught Hiccup drawing. But something told him it was more personal than that…After all, unlike his other volumes that he kept in his pack, this small journal was kept in Hiccup’s shirt, close to his heart. 

For several moments, he struggled with himself. Should he look? Hiccup may never get around to telling him what darkened his eyes and worried his lips when he thought no one was looking. How could Eragon help him, as Hiccup had done for him, if he didn’t know what was wrong? Yet...perhaps Brom was right. Maybe all Hiccup needed was time. 

With almost painfully controlled movements, Eragon slowly walked to Hiccup’s pack and laid it where he was certain Hiccup would see it in the morning. His hands lingered for several seconds as he reigned in the impulse to go through with it anyway. But with a deep breath, he reminded himself that it was none of his business, and the last thing he wanted to do was break the already fragile trust between them. 

But despite Eragon’s best intentions, as he pulled his hands away, the book slipped from the top of the pack, spilling onto the ground and falling open. With a curse, Eragon scrambled to pick it up, but dark, graceful lines against parchment had him pause. 

It was a woman, though he had never seen one quite like this. She was broad shouldered and her jaw was hard, yet her expression was soft, gentle. She gazed out into the distance, the vague outlines of the sea and sky her background. A small smile graced her thin lips, her long braid whipping in an unseen breeze and brushing over the shoulders of what was clearly armor. A wicked ax strapped to her back. A woman, yet clearly a warrior. Almost masculine in build, and yet gentle in expression, as if she could just as easily destroy the world around her as hold it tenderly between battle hardened palms. 

Eragon was captivated by the emotions he couldn’t understand layered in every stroke of charcoal. Who was she, he wondered with a pang he couldn’t explain even in his own mind. Who was this woman who Hiccup held close to his chest like a charm to ward off evil. Was she the reason for the melancholy he just couldn't seem to shake? 

Eragon jumped as a hand reached past his face, gently taking the journal from him and closing it with a soft brush of pages. Eragon spun around in his crouch, finding Hiccup standing over him, stroking the cover of his journal with a tenderness that he only seemed to show to Toothless. Then he closed his eyes and slipped it inside his shirt where it belonged. 

Eragon stood, shifting guiltily, but there was no anger in Hiccup’s face when he looked at him. Just sadness beneath a weak smile that Eragon wished more than anything in that moment to erase. 

Without another word, Hiccup turned and left, leaving Eragon with more questions than ever. 

* * *

The next morning, Hiccup didn’t mention the events the night before, so neither did Eragon. When Eragon pulled himself reluctantly onto an equally tired Saphira, he did so in silence, both contrite and more curious than ever. They took to the air without exchanging so much as a glance.

_ What happened? _ Saphira asked without preamble as they climbed above the cover of the clouds. 

_ Nothing happened,  _ Eragon grumbled immediately, and he could feel Saphira scoff beneath him. 

_ What did you do? _

_ Why do you assume I did something?  _ Eragon scowled, slapping her scales. Saphira did the equivalent of a mental eye roll, and Eragon’s lips twitched despite himself. She’d gotten that from him. 

_ Eragon, if your guilt was any louder, you would be projecting it into the atmosphere. _

Eragon gave up.  _ Alright, fine. I may have...taken a peek into Hiccup’s private journal. _

_ Eragon! _

_ I didn’t mean to! _ he defended, and it was the truth. It  _ had _ been an accident. Could he have been a little more careful? Probably. Should he have closed the journal immediately instead of looking? Definitely. But he couldn’t bring himself to regret it when it seemed like he was finally learning something real about his tight-lipped companion. 

_ You shouldn’t have looked,  _ she sighed. Then  _...What did you see? _

Eragon laughed under his breath.  _ You’re not going to believe this… _ He projected a memory of the image he’d seen, and Saphira rolled it around in her head, contemplating.

_ Who is she? _

_ No idea. But he looked really sad when he caught me. I think she’s probably his lover? Maybe a sister. _

_ Whoever she is, she must mean a lot to him.  _

Eragon’s shoulders fell slightly. Something about this was bothering him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Maybe he  _ should _ have waited for Hiccup to come to him. The fact that he didn't know his relationship with that woman made him distinctly...uncomfortable. Saphira’s amusement was palpable and he raised a brow at the back of her head.  _ What? _

_ Nothing. What do you think our training will be like? _

Eragon relaxed, grateful for the subject change, setting the unsettling feeling aside.  _ No idea. I wonder if Brom is going to teach us magic! What was it like to use it? _

Saphira shifted her wings, avoiding a startled flock of birds. Eragon tensed and winced as his aching muscles protested. What he wouldn’t give to move as naturally as Hiccup in the sky…

_ It felt like...a part of me. As natural as breathing, or flying,  _ Saphira said thoughtfully. They both fell silent, sharing the memory between them. Eragon was only able to glimpse impressions of a deep exhale, a rushing he couldn’t define, and warmth. It seemed that Saphira didn’t understand it any more than he, however, and she didn't elaborate. 

It was only midday when Brom called a halt to their flight. Toothless banked down toward a copse of trees below, one of many dotting the area as plains turned to forestland. Just ahead loomed a thick wall of green stretching as far as the eye could see. Branches and brush intertwined tightly, and Eragon was hard pressed to see anything beyond their embrace. 

The three men dismounted, taking in the seemingly impenetrable wall in front of them. “We have to walk through that?” Eragon wondered, dismayed. There was no way Saphira would be able to follow them in there, and even they would have to battle the thick foliage for every step. 

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Brom said with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “This forest is enchanted and protects itself from outsiders. As long as one proves themselves a friend, they shall be allowed to pass.” 

“You’re talking about the forest as if it’s sentient,” Hiccup said sceptically, peering into the treeline. Saphira perked up, long neck bobbing back and forth as she took another look. 

Brom nodded, hand resting idly on the hilt of the blade at his hip. “In a way, it is. This is an old forest, older than the existence of elves, dwarves, or even dragons in Alagaesia. It is steeped with ancient magic, and is so vast that they say entire civilisations could live amongst the boughs in complete secrecy. Not even the elves have been able to explore it all.”

_ Elves, _ Eragon thought, a thrill of excitement sparking through his veins. “Are we going to see them? The elves, that is. How many are there? Do they have cities like we do?”

Brom took a moment to answer, dark eyes scanning the trees slowly. “Perhaps eventually. Their greatest settlement, Ellesmera, is on the far side of the forest, easily several month’s journey on foot. As for their numbers, no one is entirely certain.” 

Eragon’s shoulders fell, disappointed. Yet, Brom hadn’t said he’d never get to meet them. Perhaps Ellesmera was on their path. 

“So, how are we going to prove to the forest that we’re friends?” Hiccup interrupted Eragon’s fantasy, looking to Brom for answers. Toothless shuffled under Hiccup’s arm, and the older rider leaned against him absently.

Brom gave them a mysterious smile. “Ah, now, that’s the easy part. Saphira is our key.” 

Saphira tilted her head, looking at him askance with one large blue eye.  _ Me?  _ she said to everyone. Toothless snorted, shaking his head. 

Brom nodded. “Yes. The dragons are the original inhabitants of Alagaesia, and your legacy is so much more vast than any other sentient races that now walk this land. It is said in legend that the cradle of dragon-kind lies somewhere in the depths of Du Weldenvarden’s most ancient heart. Whether that is true or not, the forest has always opened its paths to sons and daughters of dragonkind.” 

“So, only dragons are able to enter?” Hiccup asked, brows drawn. 

Brom shrugged. “No. Anyone can enter. Whether that journey will be a pleasant one depends on the fickle will of the forest. Having Saphira will not mean we are entirely safe from the Ra’zac or the king’s agents.” He shouldered his pack, walking forward determinedly. “Which is why we must keep moving. Until we are well away from the border, we cannot idle.” 

Saphira followed Brom with a thoughtful bearing, her claws tearing the ground beneath her unheeded. Eragon tried to exchange a look with Hiccup, but the older man did not meet his eyes.

They reached the shadows of the trees and Eragon had to look up in awe. They were large, towering above any he’d seen in the Spine. They were easily tall enough for Saphira to stretch all the way up on her hind legs and still have three more of her stand on her shoulders without a hope of reaching the tops. Some of their trunks were as thick as Eragon’s house was wide, and he couldn’t imagine how ancient they must be. Suddenly Brom’s assertion that they were sentient was not so unbelievable, the trees seeming to watch them with unseen eyes. 

“These are the sentinels, protectors of the forest,” Brom said softly as they came to a stop. They could go no further, not even light passing between the impenetrable wall of foliage. “They will judge if we are worthy to pass.” 

They all looked to Saphira, who arched her neck, squaring her shoulders in a peculiarly human gesture. What happened next, however, was anything but, and Eragon watched in astonishment as she gazed up at the trees before gently placing her snout upon one. For several seconds, nothing happened, but then she began to rumble deep in her chest, the rolling sound vibrating through all of them. Eragon’s eyes widened as the trees swayed and groaned in an unseen breeze and then blinked rapidly as the air...shimmered. His vision blurred, then sharpened once more, and to his shock, a path lay before them easily wide enough for three carts to pass through side by side. It was as if it had been there the entire time. 

“What…” Eragon whispered, and Hiccup made a startled exclamation at his side.  _ What did you do? _

Saphira pulled back from the tree, looking up at it in wonder. She seemed just as surprised as Eragon.  _ I do not know. I just...asked the trees to let us pass. _

_ Incredible!  _ Eragon gaped, looking between her and the new path. He sensed a frisson of discomfort pass through Saphira’s frame. _ Saphira? _

_...It’s nothing. Let’s go. _

Brom’s eyes gleamed as he stepped forward and placed a reverent hand on one of the thick trees, not taking his eyes from the path before them. Under his breath, he recited words that Eragon didn’t understand, but at his side, Hiccup peered at Brom with a curious expression. 

Regardless of their riders’ preoccupation, Toothless bounded after Saphira. Toothless looked up at the massive trees in excitement as he trotted at her side. Their tails brushed the soft grasses and fallen leaves, glimmers of sunlight through the canopy glinting off their scales as if the forest was welcoming them. 

Eragon realized he was being left behind after a moment and scrambled to catch up. The forest shimmered behind them, and when Eragon looked back, there was no sign of the plains from which they came. He shivered, disconcerted, and turned away.

* * *

“This will do,” Brom announced a short walk later. They’d stopped in a large clearing, the canopy above parting just enough to let through the late afternoon sun, dotting the forest floor with small flowers. 

Hiccup collapsed onto the soft grass, grateful to take his weight off his stump and aching foot. Toothless bound around the clearing, sniffing at whatever he could find of interest, often rumbling his findings to an absent-minded Hiccup. He was glad at least one of them was having fun. 

“Does this mean we can stop for a while?” Eragon sighed, slumping down next to Hiccup. Hiccup winced in sympathy at the stilted way he moved, the dark circles under his eyes. The boy was clearly not used to this sort of travel. Saphira was already curling up in a sun spot, fanning her wings and working out the kinks. Hiccup frowned. He hadn’t seen Eragon help her with those since they’d started traveling together. Maybe she didn’t like it? Or perhaps he didn’t know how. Hiccup opened his mouth to ask, but Brom answered before he could. 

“Stop, yes. Rest? You may rest when you’ve earned it.” 

“What?” Eragon said, distracted, then grunted as a long stick landed in his lap. He picked it up, its shape crudely reminiscent of a sword. “A walking stick?” 

“That,” Brom said, striding to the middle of the clearing and brandishing his own makeshift weapon, “is your sword. Protect it with your life as it will protect you, and never let it be taken.” 

Eragon stared at him for several long seconds before seeming to catch on. He stood slowly and joined Brom in the center of the clearing with a look of trepidation on his fair features. Hiccup, for his part, watched on with interest. He had only caught a glimpse of Brom’s ability when he rescued Hiccup from the Ra’zac, but it was enough to know that Brom was a hardened adventurer, and no novice with the sword.

Eragon, however, seemed sceptical. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, lifting his weapon and shifting his feet uncomfortably. To his inexperienced eyes Brom must seem the feeble old man. 

Brom raised a brow, not even bothering to lift his sword. With a mocking smile, he said, “Boy, if you manage to land a blow on me, I will hail you as king and be your personal errand boy for the rest of my days.” 

Eragon visibly bristled, widening his stance and gripping the stick tighter, as one would a farming tool. It struck Hiccup then that he probably  _ was _ a farmer. He’d clearly never held a sword before, for all his proficiency with a bow. “Alright, you asked for it!” 

He charged, stick held high. On nimble feet, Brom sidestepped him easily and swung his stick around. It connected with the back of Eragon’s head with a loud  _ whack _ and drew from him a startled yelp. Eragon dropped his stick to clutch at his head, staring at Brom as if he had no idea how he’d moved so quickly. “Never drop your sword!” Brom barked, kicking the weapon that Eragon had discarded to clatter against the boys feet. Eragon eyed it like a dangerous animal and glanced up at Brom again. 

“Pick it up.” 

Eragon looked like he wanted to do anything but, but a quick glance at Hiccup had him bending over and grabbing the stick, looking a little more unsure than before. This time he was more cautious as he approached Brom, jaw clenched with determination. They circled each other. Eragon only had eyes for Brom, so Hiccup spotted it before he did. 

Eragon tripped over a protruding root and barely had a second to get his stick up before Brom was upon him. “Pay attention to your surroundings!” Brom yelled, disarming Eragon with an effortless twist of his hand. Eragon landed on his back, clutching at his smarting wrist as Brom looked down on him. In the background, Toothless’ barking laugh could be heard, the dragon distracted from his exploring by their game. “On your feet!” 

Toothless rolled on his back as he watched.  _ The hatchling challenges the titan wing, _ Toothless taunted good-naturedly, and Hiccup choked. 

Eragon flushed with humiliation. “If you think it’s so easy, why don’t you try it!” he snapped at Hiccup, who ducked his head contritely, unable to stifle a smile. Eragon regretted his distraction, though, when Brom hooked his stick around his ankle and dropped him right back to the ground. Eragon let out a shout of frustration as Toothless started laughing harder. The young man rubbed at his shoulder, expression murderous. “Don’t take your eyes off your enemy,” Brom said pointedly before holding his hand out for Eragon to take. Eragon did, reluctantly, and Brom pulled him to his feet. “Perhaps it is a good idea for you to show him how it’s done, young rider.” 

Hiccup raised his brows, surprised, but one look at Brom told him that it wasn’t a suggestion. Internally, he grimaced. He wasn’t much of a fighter on the best of days, though he’d been forced to become one over the years. Still, Brom would find that he wasn’t so easy a target as Eragon. Getting to his feet, Hiccup entered the clearing and took the stick Brom handed him as Eragon stepped aside. He hefted it in his hands. It was a bit heavier than the swords he usually forged for himself, and certainly longer. But he would make do. Assuming a double handed grip, Hiccup widened his stance and waited. 

Brom’s brows ticked up, scanning over Hiccup’s form critically. Neither of them moved for several seconds, sizing the other up. Hiccup’s heart thrummed with adrenaline, eyes tracking every movement, every shift in Brom’s weight. After several moments of this, Brom seemed to realize that Hiccup would not strike first and took a step forward, thrusting to test Hiccup’s guard. Hiccup batted the blow aside, and sure enough, Brom retracted his stick, circling slowly to Hiccup’s non-dominant side. Hiccup turned with him, careful never to cross his feet. He could tell the moment Brom recognized that he was no novice either and Hiccup grinned nervously. 

Brom lunged forward and Hiccup gasped at his speed, way quicker than he’d moved with Eragon. Hiccup threw himself backward, wincing as Brom came at him with a heavy blow. It glanced off Hiccup’s sword, the slighter man using his shoulder to brace and deflect as much of it away from his body as he could. Brom was stronger than him, he fretted. By a lot. But what else was new? Hiccup danced in the opposite direction, rolling beneath Brom’s horizontal swing to try and take his back. 

Brom wouldn’t let him have it, pivoting on one foot and nearly taking Hiccup’s head off. Had Hiccup not maneuvered them close to a tree, it very well might have. Hiccup dodged behind the trunk as Brom’s stick smacked against it, using its girth to gain himself some distance. “Yes!” Brom exclaimed, “Use your surroundings to your advantage!” 

Hiccup didn’t have time to breathe for long before the old man was back on him, doing his best to take his feet. Hiccup didn’t give him the chance, rolling backward before Brom could swing at his bad leg. However, he underestimated Brom’s speed, and gasped as his feet were swept out from beneath him before he could regain his balance. 

But Hiccup wasn’t done. With a shout, he dug his stick into the ground and sprayed brush and dirt into Brom’s face, scrambling upright as Brom backpedaled. When he was finally able to open his eyes, Brom gave him a fierce grin. “Very good! However, you should have struck me while I was vulnerable!” 

Hiccup wasn’t quite sure what happened next, but the next thing he knew, he was on his back and gasping for air, the tip of Brom’s blunt stick against his throat. His own stick lay several meters away, his fingers stinging from a blow he never saw coming. After a moment, Brom retracted his weapon and helped Hiccup to his feet. Hiccup staggered when Brom patted him roughly on the shoulder, and this time Toothless was laughing at  _ him. _

_ Shut up, _ Hiccup growled without heat, and Toothless warbled with mirth. _ I’d like to see you do better! _

_ You lost to the wither wing,  _ Toothless laughed. 

_ Oh, so now he’s a wither wing? What happened to titan wing! _

Toothless didn’t deign to respond, ruffling his shoulders smugly and prancing to Saphira’s side. Saphira, for her part, was out like a light, ignoring the men’s antics for some well-deserved rest. 

“You fight well. Who was your teacher?” Brom asked as Hiccup stared half lidded after his insufferable partner. 

“Hm? Oh...a lot of people,” Hiccup evaded, rubbing the back of his neck. His heart panged, unwilling to let his memory wander down evenings in the dragon ring, his lover’s ruthless reprimands ringing from the cliffs, the only person in Berk who never accepted that he didn’t care to learn. Despite her persistence, he still lost. He usually did...at least, when he fought without trickery or gadgets.

“That was amazing!” Eragon called, jogging up to join them. Hiccup’s eyes widened at the clear admiration in Eragon’s youthful face, the younger staring at him as if he’d hung the stars and moon in the sky. 

Hiccup shook his head, shifting awkwardly. “I lost.” 

“Yes. However, you did well,” Brom said lightly, collecting both sticks and shoving one in Eragon’s hand. The younger groaned. “If you had been using a lighter weapon, you may very well have bested me.” 

Hiccup straightened, stung. “I’m not weak.” 

Brom paused, looking at him carefully. “I did not say you were. However, your build is more suited to short swords and faster maneuvers. Yours,” he looked to Eragon when Hiccup eased back, chastened by his assumption, “is not. A two handed sword should suit you best. Now, straighten your back and loosen your grip! It’s a stick, not a snake!” 

Hiccup retreated as Brom began coaching Eragon through his stances, adjusting him manually when he could not quite follow his precise instructions. Eragon bore it with ill grace, but seemed more determined to learn now that he’d seen Hiccup perform. 

Glancing around the clearing, Hiccup realized that Toothless had left, probably to go find something to eat. Disheartened, Hiccup sat against a tree and tried not to let melancholy overtake him. He placed his hand over his heart where his journal rested, both tempted to take it out again and aware that it would only darken his mood. Instead, he took another journal from his pack, nearly full with all of his notes from the past few weeks, and resumed his sketches of Saphira. The lighting was perfect over her slumbering form, and he wanted to capture it as best he could before it changed. It served as an excellent distraction while Eragon and Brom drilled into the evening.

A shout of frustration had Hiccup jerking where he sat, cursing as his hand scratched an unintended line of charcoal halfway down the page. 

Eragon threw his stick on the ground, and Brom’s grey brows drew together thunderously. “Enough!” Eragon exclaimed, running rough fingers through his sweat soaked hair. His teeth were bared, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion and anger. “How is hitting me over and over again supposed to teach me anything!” 

“If you would pay attention, I wouldn’t have to keep correcting you!” Brom said sharply. “Now pick up your sword. We’re not done here.” 

Eragon’s eyes flinted. He didn't move. “I’m tired. We’ve been going for days! I need a break.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Brom growled cuttingly, “do you need a nap? A feather pillow? Wake up, boy! The Ra’zac aren’t going to hold their killing blow because you’re  _ tired!  _ The _ king  _ isn’t going to stop searching for you because you whine!” He pointed harshly the way they came. “All of Alagaesia is searching for you as you stand here and complain about sore fingers, and they will  _ kill or enslave you _ if they get the chance!”

“I know that!” Eragon shouted, and Saphira woke with a snort, eyes sharpening on her rider in alarm. “I  _ know.  _ I was there in Carvahall! Do you think I didn’t see what we’re up against? Do you think I don’t know how outmatched I am?” Eragon gasped as tears spilled down his cheeks, expression filled with humiliation and no small amount of fear. He spun away from Brom, hiding his face with a trembling hand. “I’m done.” 

He stalked away. Brom glared and threw his stick down in disgust, but didn’t stop him. 

Hiccup watched in shock as they went in opposite directions. Saphira looked at Hiccup in bewilderment.  _ What just happened? _

Hiccup swallowed. “I think everything’s finally catching up to Eragon…” 

She grumbled, staring after her rider, who’d already disappeared through the thicket.  _ I can’t reach him,  _ she said softly, frustrated.

“He can do that?” She blinked, her armored lids clicking, and Hiccup sighed. “I’ll go after him.” 

Saphira lowered her head in acknowledgement.  _ I will remain here and wait for Brom. Perhaps I can speak sense into him.  _

_ “Good luck,”  _ they both said at the same time, shared in their exasperation. Hiccup squared his shoulders and followed after Eragon.

He found him after about ten minutes of walking, nearly stumbling over him from where he sat on a low, fallen log. 

Eragon didn’t turn, but his shoulders twitched as he heard Hiccup’s approach. Hiccup couldn’t see his face, but he didn't have to; defeat was written in every bowed line of Eragon’s form. “I know what you’re going to say. I should have stayed. I was being immature…” 

Hiccup pinched his lips before shrugging. Casually, he said, “Well, it certainly could have gone better. For what it’s worth, I probably would have done the same.” 

Eragon huffed without mirth. “You? No way. You don’t complain about anything. You can fight and fly and you make amazing things! I’m just a dumb farm boy. Saphira never should have hatched for me…” 

“Hey, now, don’t say that.” Hiccup actually laughed at Eragon’s assessment. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Not just anyone could go through what Eragon had without breaking; that he’d made it this far without a meltdown was amazing in itself. He sat next to Eragon, who moved over reluctantly to make room. “You know, I didn’t always used to be able to do all those things. I was a scrawny kid–” he looked down at his arms with a frown, “Still am, now that I think about it. And me and Toothless didn't always get along so well. As for my experiments? I can’t tell you how many times I failed before even one of them worked the way it was supposed to!” He leaned over, trying to catch Eragon’s eye. Eragon’s lips were pinched with disbelief, and it made Hiccup smile a bit. What had he done to get such admiration from the younger man? He couldn’t really figure it out, but couldn’t help but find it endearing. “No seriously! I was the village hiccup. A runt who never got anything right.” 

“Now I know you're making things up,” Eragon said, finally looking Hiccup in the eye. “And you’re not scrawny.” Hiccup’s eyebrow lifted slowly, and Eragon’s smile grew from tremulous to sheepish, a glint of laughter brightening his eyes. “Okay, so maybe you’re a bit small. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t amazing! Way better than me.” 

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “My point is, everyone starts somewhere. You’re already way better off than where I was when I started out. Trust me.” 

Eragon smiled gratefully, only for it to slide off his face a second later. “Brom doesn’t seem to think so.”

“He’s just trying to protect you,” Hiccup assured. “I know what it’s like to have a dad who’s harsh because he just doesn’t know what else to do. Brom will come around.” 

Eragon’s brows drew together. “Brom’s not my father.” 

This gave Hiccup pause, genuinely surprised. “He’s...not? But I could have sworn…” Eragon frowned and Hiccup backtracked. “Ah-uh, sorry, I just assumed! Obviously I don’t know what I’m talking about, just ignore me.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like he’d stepped on a bear trap. Had he truly read Brom so completely wrong? 

“Brom’s just a storyteller from my village–or, at least, I thought he was. Sometimes we’d have meals together and he’d tell me about dragons or history.” Eragon trailed off. “Why did you think he was my father?” 

Hiccup scrambled, wondering how he should say this. “It’s just. He clearly cares about you. I can’t imagine why else he’d go so far out of his way to protect you like this.” 

Eragon seemed to consider this. “He does have a lot of secrets.” Eragon drew a leg up, resting his chin on his knee. “But that’s impossible. Garrow was the one who raised me. My mother, Selena, came to my uncle Garrow, pregnant and alone. She left again when I was born without explaining why. My real father is probably dead.” 

“That’s. I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Hiccup leaned back, taking a deep breath to brace himself for what he said next. “My dad died a year ago.”

Eragon peered at him beneath dark lashes. “Is that why you left your home?”

Hiccup hesitated. He really didn't want to talk about it. But he couldn’t resist the plea in Eragon’s eyes. “Yes...and no. His death was my fault, and I–” his throat tightened and he cleared it, “I couldn’t live with the guilt, and I knew I could never replace him...so I left.” He sniffed, rolling his eyes to the sky and laughing awkwardly. “So, uh, anyway. I guess I kind of know what you’re going through. But you know, even if Brom’s not your father, he’s really trying hard to prepare you for what’s out there. Just. Give him a chance.” 

Eragon looked like he had so many questions on the tip of his tongue, but something in Hiccup’s face must have quieted them. Instead, he looked away sullenly. “I guess I can try.” His brows eased. “You know, before all of this...I always got the feeling I was his favorite. When I was a kid, he’d always answer my questions even after all the others got tired of them.” 

“That’s a special power in and of itself!” Hiccup nudged him in the shoulder, and Eragon chuckled under his breath. 

Eragon nudged Hiccup back. Then he shifted uncomfortably, his voice lowering. “So, are you going to tell me who that woman is? She’s beautiful.” 

Hiccup’s smile froze, and he had to swallow several times, mouth completely dry. “She is–she  _ was _ –my fiance.” 

“Oh. I’m sorry.” 

“Ah, she’s not dead or anything,” Hiccup hastened to say at the horrified expression on Eragon’s face. “She just deserved better than,” he gestured vaguely to himself,  _ “this.” _

Eragon gave him an incredulous onceover. “You just gestured to all of you.” 

“Exactly.” 

Eragon’s hand landed on roughly his shoulder with an startlingly strong grip, and Hiccup was alarmed by the anger in his tone. “Did she tell you that?” 

“What? No!” Hiccup looked away sharply. “Look, can we talk about something else? Anything else. Please.” He shifted, cornered beneath the intensity of Eragon’s dark stare, heart doing acrobatics in his chest. How had Hiccup giving Eragon a pep talk turn to the younger man interrogating him about his love life? This was definitely not how he envisioned this going.

Both of them jumped as Toothless bound into their small alcove, warbling as he pranced to Hiccup’s side. “T-Toothless,” Hiccup called, voice breaking. Eragon reluctantly released him as Toothless inserted himself between them, nearly knocking both young men to the ground. “What is it, bud?”

_ Friend!  _ Toothless rumbled, ears perked happily.  _ A human. A dragon human!  _

Hiccup spluttered as Toothless licked him in the face, trying in vain to parse out what he was saying.  _ Dragon human?,  _ he clarified with a click of his teeth, pushing his friend away. Toothless wiggled in agreement, chirping compliments of size and strength that he’d normally use to refer to a dragon older than himself. Hiccup couldn’t make sense of it. 

“What’s he saying,” Eragon said. 

“I don’t know,” Hiccup shrugged. “Something about a friend?” 

A branch cracked loudly and both riders looked up. And up. And up. 

For one terrifying moment, Hiccup thought the Ra’zac had caught up with them. But though reason took over a split second later, he was presented with something so unlikely that he could do nothing but gape and wonder if the forest was playing tricks on him.

From behind a tree, a woman emerged. At least, Hiccup thought she was a woman. But now he understood Toothless’ words, for her skin was as dark as his scales and curling, onyx horns grew from beneath her long, lustrous black hair. She stood twice as tall as Hiccup, and easily twice as wide, with arms large enough to rival the sturdiest of vikings. Her generous chest and wide body were covered in a soft woven material that mirrored the colors of the vibrant forest around them. 

She gazed at them with honey golden eyes, her chin raised high and proud, and when she opened her full lips to speak, Hiccup could see the glint of long, wicked canines. “It has been a long time since humans have wandered into my wood,” she said in a rolling voice that called forth visions of a raging waterfall and the distant call of thunder. “Welcome, friends of dragons.” 

* * *

The horizon swayed. The constant sound of rushing wind beneath steady wings was the only lullaby for the large man who perched precariously to his seat, nodding in and out of consciousness as the world rocked beneath him. They’d been flying for the better part of two months straight, sometimes going days without finding a roost. It was a testament to the dragon’s strength that he hadn’t faltered in carrying his burdens, his four crimson wings working tirelessly to keep them aloft. It was why he’d been chosen for the journey. 

In front of the nodding man sat a much slighter woman, her body an extension of the beast below her, as if it were her own wings that carried them over the angry, roiling sea. She’d been a part of her dragon, and he a part of her, for so long that they may as well have been one.

She nudged the man drooling against her shoulder, and he startled awake, rubbing his wide, stubbled face and pushing back his disheveled blond bangs. She smiled tightly over her shoulder, emerald eyes familiar, yet just different enough to evoke a blooming ache in his chest every time he met them. 

“We’re approaching land.” 

“Oh, thank Thor,” the man sighed, helmeted head thunking against the dragon scales draping his companion’s narrow shoulders. They’d lost the trail of their quarry weeks ago, but had no choice but to press on, neither of them willing to give up the chase.

Neither one of them were willing to give up on  _ him. _

“There’s smoke ahead,” the woman said suddenly, and the man found himself jerking to attention for the third time in as many minutes as her commanding voice easily cut through the wind. He blinked rapidly, taking in the thick line of smoke far into the distance, drifting darkly between the peaks of the mountain range that lined the coast. 

He felt a surge of excitement in his chest. “Could it be him?” he asked hopefully, broad shoulders straightening.

She laughed, the first time he’d heard it in a while. “Ever the optimist, Ingerman. A village on fire, and you immediately assume it’s my son?” 

“You don’t know him like I do,” Fishlegs rejoined good naturedly, then winced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…” 

Valka’s husky voice belied her amusement and, beneath it, a faint note of old greif. “You’re right. I don’t. But I’d like to. Let’s find him.” 

“Yeah,” Fishlegs said with conviction, and both riders faced forward. Cloudjumper roared in the thrill of the chase, his pace propelling them to this strange new land. It was time to get their chief back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeey guys! 
> 
> Here we go. So much happened in this chapter, I can't even think of anything to say. So, uh, hope you enjoyed! Clearly I'm making shit up as I go, though me and Charlie-chan did manage to hammer out a half decent plan for the plot the other day ;) I'm just dragging you all along for the ride.
> 
> Love to hear what you think! See you crazy peeps next time~
> 
> If you haven't checked out Charlie-chan's new chapter, go do it! Do it now! [:P


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